The Wellspring of Life

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23

Truly, the heart is the wellspring of life – think of the exercise, medicine, effort expended to keep hearts healthy. Our brains – thoughts and attitudes play major roles, too in heart-stress stemming from worry, anger, fear, and resentment.

The Today's English Versions (T.E.V.) hits the nail on the head, translating Proverbs 4:23: “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.” Ideally, our hearts and heads agree, so we don’t find ourselves going in two directions at once. Philippians 3:14 advises: “…run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God’s call through Christ Jesus to the life above.” Being human, it’s not unusual to put our heads down and run until running is the focus. Having lost sight of the goal, the means becomes the end.

To guard the ‘wellspring of life,’ pay attention to thoughts, attitudes, in the exercise of body, mind, and spirit. Refrain from watching, reading, listening to, or dwelling on the unworthy, that which has no redeeming value. Instead nurture your heart, shape your living, add joy, energy, abundance, health to each day – focus on “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is fair, whatever is pure, whatever is acceptable, whatever is commendable, if there is anything of excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy-keep thinking about these things. "
Philippians 4:8 International Standard Version