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

by Marti Fischer                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          We live in a noisy world. Turn on the news, and it’s one crisis after another. Open your phone, and there’s a flood of distractions, arguments, and empty comparisons. It’s constant, it’s loud — and if you’re not careful, it starts to shape how you see the world, how you see yourself, and even how you relate to God.

That’s why Scripture says, “Above all else, guard your heart.” Not your image. Not your opinions. Not even your knowledge. Your heart. Because your heart is the place from which real life flows.

It’s where the Word of God is meant to live — not just as information, but as transformation. Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” The heart is where faith takes root. It’s where the Holy Spirit moves us — not just to believe, but to obey. To act. To become. The word is in our hearts so it will be displayed through our actions.

The Problem with Living from the Head

The world — and even the church — teaches us to fill our heads with knowledge. And yes, learning matters. Wisdom is important. But the head is also where doubt lives. It’s where fear argues. It’s where limiting beliefs pile up, as in, “I’m not ready.” “I’m not good enough.” “What if I fail?”

You can know all the right things and still be stuck. Why? Because knowing isn’t the same as believing. And it’s not the same as moving out in faith. Head knowledge doesn’t produce fruit. The Spirit in our heart does.

Guarding the Heart Isn’t About Building Walls

It’s about being wise with what you allow to take root.

Every day, the world tries to plant things in your heart—fear, resentment, envy, distraction. If you’re not paying attention, those seeds start growing. They don’t scream for your attention; they quietly spread. That’s why the Bible doesn’t say “occasionally check your heart.” It says guard it—above all else.

How Do You Guard Your Heart?

By feeding it what’s life-giving and Spirit-led. Not just what sounds good or feels positive, but what’s true. Here’s how to start:

• Read the Word daily, and meditate on it — not just with your mind, but with a prayer that it sinks deep into your heart
• Speak the truth over your life — replace limiting thoughts with God’s promises.
• Pray consistently — not just to talk, but to stay soft, open, and surrendered.
• Pay attention to what you’re letting in — what you watch, what you listen to, who you give influence to.

The more you practice this, the more sensitive you’ll become to what doesn’t belong. Gossip won’t sit well. Bitterness will feel heavy. Lust will leave you wanting. Cynicism will clash with the Spirit’s voice. You’ll notice — and you’ll choose differently.

From Heart to Action

When your heart is guarded and grounded in God, you don’t just survive the noise — you rise above it. You move out in faith. You act in love. You live with peace that doesn’t make sense to the world. That’s not head-driven religion. That’s a heart-rooted relationship.

So don’t just protect your time. Protect your heart. Don’t just consume truth as information. Let it change you. Don’t just know Scripture. Live it, because it’s alive in you.

Let the Word dwell richly, not just in your head, but in the place it was always meant to live: your heart.