Protecting your heart with diligence ensures the flow of God’s peace, joy, and purpose in your life.
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
— Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)
The definition of diligence is: steady, earnest, and energetic effort; devoted and painstaking work and application to accomplish an undertaking.
In other words, never stop guarding your heart, because the well-being of your life flows from it. Certain people, places, and things can tug at our emotions and disrupt our spiritual peace if we allow them to. Often, we already know which people, environments, or habits aren’t good for us. The question is: are we willing to guard our hearts and choose wisely, or will we let those influences have their way?
Guarding your heart is not a passive activity—it’s an intentional, ongoing effort. It requires prayer, discernment, and sometimes the courage to make difficult decisions. Protecting your heart means filtering what you allow into your mind, soul, and spirit. This could involve stepping back from toxic relationships, limiting exposure to harmful content, or setting boundaries with people who drain your peace.
God has given you the wisdom and strength to make these choices. Remember, the effort you put into guarding your heart is worth it, because from it flows the joy, peace, and purpose God desires for your life.
Reflective Questions:
- What steps can you take today to protect your heart?
- Are there influences you need to remove or limit?
Remember:
Ask God for guidance and strength to guard your heart with diligence.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word, which reminds me to guard my heart with diligence. Help me to be intentional about protecting my thoughts, emotions, and spiritual well-being. Give me the courage to step away from anything that distracts me from You or disrupts the peace You’ve given me. Teach me to focus on what is true, noble, and pure. Thank You for filling my heart with Your love and wisdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thank you for reading. God bless you!
All Scripture in Steps Towards Eternity Daily Devotional is from the King James Bible. (KJV)
Scriptures marked KJV are taken from the KING JAMES VERSION (KJV): KING JAMES VERSION, public domain in The United States. Pathway365 is based in the United States and is governed by its laws. Outside of the United States, you’ll need to check the copyright laws in your country before use.
Scripture quotations from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press