Let your will and emotions catch up

God warns us to guard our heart above all else, simply because it determines the entire course of our lives. As we think of the heart, we must remember it encompasses our mind, will and emotions. One must guard the mind, have a determined will that is unwilling to compromise even one iota, and to have an evenness of emotions that don't carry us away.

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

Above all else. We get so distracted by what we think may not be 'all that bad', but in truth, whenever we look toward anything or anyone other than God himself, our hearts are already putting something else 'above' God. Needless to say, we have raised a whole generation of individuals whose mind is easily amused by whatever catches its attention. Perhaps the greatest challenge to individuals today is to have their mind focused with so many distractions working hard to distract one from their focus.

The will of a man is kind of fickle, isn't it? We can say we have 'willpower', but when push comes to shove, does it get us through? Not usually. The 'willpower' of a man with a mind that isn't focused is as fickle as can be. Whatever our mind entertains will eventually play upon the 'will' of a man. God reminds us to take control of our thought life, allowing him to help determine our steps - but we must be willing to take those steps!

Emotions are probably the most problematic of the three. They go up and down like a fast rollercoaster. They can plummet to new lows quicker than our thoughts can catch up. They can soar high for a while, as long as circumstances allow, but then when those circumstances change, watch out. This is why God tells us not to rely upon emotions to make decisions. I always cringe when I hear a believer say they don't 'feel' like they will ever change. If we relied upon our feelings in order to evaluate change within our lives, we would be all over the map!

The three - mind, will and emotions - operate simultaneously. We must remember that when the mind is fixed upon the right 'model' for our behavior, the will and emotions will eventually follow where the mind leads. The 'will' of a man may resist for a while, but when your mind is made up in a certain direction, with focused attention on God's best for your life, you cannot fail. Eventually your will and emotions will catch up. Just sayin!