Peace for the Restless Heartਨਮੂਨਾ

When I think about what it means to guard something, my mind immediately goes to my years of raising seven kids. I spent so much of their childhood trying to protect them from danger—keeping them from running into the street, falling off playground equipment, or tumbling into lakes and swimming pools. I stood watch at baseball games, family hikes, and even the backyard, always ready to step in if they were at risk. But as hard as it was to guard their physical safety, I quickly learned that the greatest challenge—and the most important one—was guarding their hearts.

The Bible makes it clear in Proverbs 4:23 that guarding our hearts is not just a suggestion but a command: “Above all else, guard your heart.” The heart is not just an emotional center; it is the place where our desires, thoughts, and devotion are rooted. And whoever holds the heart holds the greatest influence. That is why it matters so much what—or who—we allow to take hold of it.

When my children were young, I prayed constantly for their safety. But over time, my prayers shifted. I began praying not just that they would be kept from harm, but that their hearts would belong fully to God. I realized that if they loved Him with all their hearts, everything else in life would fall into place. Their choices, their friendships, their purpose—it would all flow out of that one devotion. Stormie Omartian, in her book The Power of a Praying Parent, says it beautifully: the most important prayer we can pray over our children is that they would love God deeply and wholeheartedly. Because when they do, everything else is shaped by that love.

But this truth is not just for our kids—it is for us too. Our hearts are fragile and easily swayed. We are all searching for something to satisfy the longing within us, and if we are not careful, we will devote ourselves to the wrong things. It might be success, relationships, approval, or comfort. These things promise fulfillment, but they can never truly satisfy. That is why God tells us to guard our hearts—because He knows how quickly they can be pulled away, and how much what shapes them matters.

So what does guarding our hearts actually look like? It looks like being careful about what voices we listen to, what influences we allow in, and what thoughts we dwell on. It looks like rooting ourselves in Scripture so that God’s Word is louder than the noise of the world. It looks like prayerfully surrendering our desires and asking God to align our hearts with His. It looks like choosing to love Him above all else, even when distractions and temptations try to pull us away.

As a mom, I know I can’t guard my children’s hearts for them. But I can pray, guide, and model what it looks like to give my own heart fully to God. And I can trust that the One who loves them more than I ever could, will continue to draw their hearts to Himself.

And for each of us, the call is the same: above all else, guard your heart. Because everything you do—every choice you make, every relationship you pursue, every word you speak—flows out of it. When your heart belongs fully to God, your life will reflect His love, His wisdom, and His peace.

Reflection Question: What is one area of your heart you need to be more intentional about guarding?