Proverbs 4:23, "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."

Think

Emotions like anger, fear, disgust and sadness can get the best of us at times. That's why today's verse is so important to adhere to. When we guard our hearts with God's truth and wisdom, it helps us maintain self-control to keep all emotions in check. Sure, we would much rather be sitting on Cloud Nine – totally happy, overflowing with joy. But, that is not reality. There are many challenges that come our way that can attack us and bring us down. That's why it's important to set up this spiritual security system to help us guard our hearts and stay focused on what is true. The second part of this verse sheds a bright light on the importance of protecting our hearts. It reveals that our hearts directly determine the course of our lives because our feelings affect our decisions, which affect our actions, which affect our future. That sure helps us put into perspective how important it is to keep this a top priority. Take care to guard your heart, for it determines your destiny.

Act

Stop and think about the various emotions that surface in your life. Even though some are sometimes labeled as good and others labeled as bad, God gave us all of our emotions. Stop and thank him for them and challenge yourself to apply today's verse by guarding your heart, protecting it so that you can live out God's plan for you.

Pray

God, I know that you are a God who created emotions and a God who feels emotions. Thank you for creating these various emotions in us, your most prized creation. Help me to stand guard over my heart so that I can protect it and protect my future. Amen.