Your heart is not a dumpster

YOUR HEART IS NOT A DUMPSTER

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23 NLT).

Recently last week, I had the opportunity to talk with someone who had their heart full of bitterness, and after speaking with her I felt mentally and emotionally worn out. Inevitably, each conversation revolved around her pain, the injustices people had caused her, the happiness life had denied her, self-pity, anger against half of the world, resentment towards her spouse who left her, accusing some of her sons of being bad sons, in rage with her family, anti-social, and threatening to isolate herself from everyone because she claims, “No one understands me”. Do you know what all of this is? Garbage.

 “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23 NLT).

Though I appreciate this person very much, I do not wish to speak with her again, because I don’t want to wear myself out by trying to help someone who doesn’t want to change and who’s heart is contaminated. Why? Because, I don’t want my heart to get contaminated. Bitterness is contagious and I don’t want it to be passed onto me.

The Bible says:

“Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many” (Hebrews 12:15 NLT).

There are many things other than bitterness that we should watch out for. For example, resentment, rage, depression, chronic sadness, selfishness, lust, desires of vengeance, materialism, etc.

The state of your heart determines the state of your life. Don’t let anyone dump garbage in your heart. Evaluate what is in your heart, so you too, do not dump garbage on others and contaminate them.

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh”
(Luke 6:45 KJV)

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Think about it:

What is in your heart? Pay attention to your conversations and you’ll find out.
Do you act and live according to the way you speak?