wellspring of life

Above all else, guard your heart — for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23

How often do we think about our heart? How often do we guard our heart? Or our childrens?

In Proverbs we are told by Solomon, the wisest man to live, to guard our hearts above ALL else. There’s something about the heart. When you think of the body, it’s the life — it keeps life moving. Beating. When you think of our minds, our self, the heart is a critical part of us — who God made us to be.

And, yet, so often, we leave our hearts vulnerable to attack.

Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life…Luke 21:3a

This verse always shocks me. I’m intrigued that the anxieties of life are part of the three things that weigh down our hearts. And, yet, they do. I’ve experienced it in my own life. Even now. My load felt heavy. Paths in front of me seemed distorted, and in some instances — impossible. My heart, my mood, had become anxious. Nervous. Lacking faith.

My heart hurt.

Instead of filling my mind with truth — I allowed it to run wild with worry. With fear. With anger. Of not speaking the truth. Not speaking up. Dwelling on the now. Sitting in overwhelm.

That’s not faith. That’s worry. That’s fear. That’s doubt.

Faith is different.

I want to live out of faith. Even though situations in my life may seem impossible or overwhelming. Living in faith cultivates joy — not of myself. Is it easy? No. Often it’s a struggle of releasing those tendencies to worry, anxieties, regrets, anger, and more to the Lord. Somehow I try to cling to these — and yet, the very act of gripping hurts me. And my heart. So I pray to let these thoughts, these patterns, go. And then I pray for God’s peace to permeate the corners of my heart. And with that, joy returns — a joy that is not dependent on circumstances, but on faith. In the midst of a storm, or waiting, or the daily grind of life, there can be joy.

Authentic joy.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19

Rachel Marie Martin

Rachel Marie Martin is the author behind Finding Joy and the books, "Get Your Spark Back," "Mom Enough," and "The Brave Art of Motherhood." She is fiercely passionate about living an authentic, joy-filled and driven life and because of that writes powerful truth for others hoping to be the catalyst for change.

17 comments

Trisha November 4, 2010 - 3:24 pm

Yes, Rachel! That is true joy that is not dependent on our circumstances. Precious words and a precious picture!

partialemptynester November 4, 2010 - 3:58 pm

Ephesians 3:16-19 is such a comforting verse on so many levels…knowing that God loves us, knowing that we each build up and encourage each other by praying over each other, knowing the power that abides in us as believers, such good stuff to simply dwell on in the quiet of our hearts…thank you so much for putting this forefront and center in my heart today!

Janette@Janette's Sage November 4, 2010 - 4:19 pm

Thanks…needed this this morning…our family has suffered some losses this week…and today is hard…I heed your words!

mayshedream November 4, 2010 - 4:29 pm

such an amazing post!!! thank you so much

Bethany@ImperfectMom November 4, 2010 - 5:31 pm

Thanks for this-I am in the midst of some major, anxiety producing family issues, and I needed to hear this today.

Hannah M November 4, 2010 - 6:06 pm

Beautiful post, Rachel! What a great reminder for me today:)

Warren Baldwin November 4, 2010 - 6:28 pm

Prov. 4:23 is one of my favorite proverbs. I like how you developed it, using personal experience. I think that is one of the most powerful ways to engage the proverbs. Good job. wb

Stephanie November 4, 2010 - 6:56 pm

I just stumbled upon your blog today when I saw you on A Firefighter’s Wife’s blog list. Thank you so much for your challenging and transparent post! It really resonates with me … and reminds me of something I heard once, if we aren’t walking in Truth, we live in a fantasy world. For whatever reason, that has become such a powerful way for me to realize that anythings short of God’s Word at the center of my life … is just fake, false, pretend, make believe … and living that way is just fooling myself. Why would I want to fool myself into being anxious, worried, fearful, etc. if I didn’t have to? Well, just my two cents that I thought I would share. Thanks, again for your challenging thoughts!

Katie November 4, 2010 - 8:14 pm

“And then I pray for God’s peace to permeate the corners of my heart. And with that, joy returns — a joy that is not dependent on circumstances, but on faith.”
Love this.

Love the picture, also!

Bev November 4, 2010 - 9:07 pm

thank you for sharing this truth from god…

April November 4, 2010 - 9:07 pm

I just posted the proverbs 4:23 as my status on facebook the other day…your posts have been speaking to where I am right now and I have been leaving your blog up so I will remember to write and tell you that…and THEN I don’t…so today I am 🙂

I got some news today that I wanted to share with you as well…check out the video (it is only 10seconds) at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEJTK_Q2vOk

I’ll be blogging more about it by the end of tonight…I’m still processing 🙂

how did you and your husband feel when you heard the R word?

Hillary November 5, 2010 - 12:01 am

this is so relevant to my life right now-I’m glad I finally made it over here to tell you thanks for your sweet comments awhile back.

New follower. 🙂

Lea November 5, 2010 - 1:43 am

Thanks for such an inspiring post. I am struggling with much of what you wrote about and needed your inspiration and encouragement.

Blessings abundant to you!

carissa @ lowercase letters November 5, 2010 - 4:53 am

it’s so true about joy and faith. living in faith and trusting Jesus produces joy! this reminds me of the name of your blog. : ) so glad you encourage us to live as we should; embracing Jesus and finding our joy in Him!

Kelly November 5, 2010 - 5:30 am

Thank you for this post! It is what I needed to hear today, and it is also what my friend needed to hear today. God used you to speak to me.
Kelly
(In case you were wondering, I found your blog through your daughter’s blog.)

lmworley416 November 5, 2010 - 5:31 am

That photo is so amazing! Just can’t put into words what it does to me.
Lifting up prayers right now!
Isaiah 25:4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
Prayer Bears
My email address

Our Family for His Glory November 7, 2010 - 1:57 am

How often I let my heart fill with anxiety! How true that it is God who brings us peace!!
Jessica

wellspring of life

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