Paraphrasing Proverbs 4, Symeon the New Theologian, made the following claim,
“Our holy fathers have renounced all other spiritual work and concentrated wholly on this one doing, that is, on guarding the heart.” ~ Symeon the “New” Theologian
What he said over 1000 years ago remains just as true today. Our human hearts are the driving force of our lives. They are also susceptible to all kinds of pain and can generate all kinds of trouble. Prayer, gratitude, and repentance are essential components in guarding our hearts.
St. Augustine famously said,
You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.
God has made us this way. The human heart matters, and God will work with and through it. How might God work within us when our hearts are angry, hurt, or vengeful?
Guarding the Heart