You Can Avoid a Spiritual Heart Attack - Safeguard the Heart

Safeguard the Heart

The Bible principle that "whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap" applies to the health of our figurative heart as well.  (Galatians 6:7) Often, what appears to be a sudden spiritual disaster turns out to have been the result of a long secret history of indulgence in such spiritually damaging pursuits  as viewing pornography, being excessively concerned with material things, or striving for prominence or power. 

To protect the heart, therefore, it is essential to watch one's spiritual diet.  Nourish the mind and heart by feeding on the Word of God. Shun the mental junk food that is so readily available and so appealing to the flesh but that only results in making the figurative heart insensitive.  The psalmist cautions with a fitting-and medically sound-analogy.  "Their heart has become unfeeling just like fat." -Psalm 119:70

If there are long-standing secret faults, try hard to eradicate them lest they clog up your  figurative arteries.  If the world begins to look attractive and seems to be offering much to the way of pleasure and enjoyment, meditate on the wise counsel offered by the apostle Paul.  He wrote:  "This I say, brothers, the time is left reduced.  Henceforth let those . . .making use of the world [be]as those not using it to the full; for the scene of this world is changing."  (1 Corinthians 7:29-31) And, if material riches should start to beckon, take to heart Job's words:   "If I have put gold as my confidence, or to gold I have said, 'You are my trust!' that too would be an error for attention by the justices. for I should have denied the true God above." -Job 31:24, 28; Psalm 62:10; 1 Timothy 6:9, 10.

Pointing to the seriousness of habitually ignoring Bible-based counsel, the Bible warns:  "A man repeatedly reproved but making his neck hard will suddenly be broken, that without healing."  (Proverbs 29:1)  On the contrary, by taking good care of our figurative heart, we can experience the pleasure and the peace of mind that comes from living a simple, uncluttered life.  This has always been the recommended way of true Christianity.  The apostle Paul was inspired to write:  "To be sure, it is a means of great gain, this godly devotion along with self-sufficiency. For we have brought nothing into the world, and neither can we carry anything out.  So, having sustenance and  covering , we shall be content with these things." -1 Timothy 6:6-8.

Yes, training and exercising ourselves  in the way of godly devotion will ensure that we have a healthy and strong figurative heart.  By keeping a close watch on our spiritual diet, we will allow no room for this world's destructive ways and thinking to cause any harm or damage to our spirituality.   Above all, by accepting Jehovah's provisions through his organization, may we regularly submit ourselves to checkups of our figurative heart.  Diligently doing so will go a long way toward avoiding the sad consequences of a spiritual heart attack. 

Next time:DEVELOP YOUR HEART TO FEAR JEHOVAH

The Watchtower, 2001