~ written by Connie Dunmyer
We live in an age when everything requires a password. Not only that, two-factor authentication is typically required, and/or a pin number to go along with that password. For financial items, we are usually required to change our password every month. Even though I work in technology, I find entering passwords all day long, and then changing them monthly, to be a real drag on my brain. What seems simple enough tends to frustrate me. Nevertheless, passwords are important.
Passwords guard what’s most important – our finances, our identities, etc. When my girls were younger, esp. as they entered teenage and young adulthood, I cautioned them to always focus on “guarding their hearts”. It’s important to guard which is most important in our lives – in this case our hearts.
Proverbs 4:23 – “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Seems pretty important! Above all else – nothing is more important. Why? Because EVERYTHING I do and say flows from what’s in my heart. Oh I can try to fake it – but sooner or later, what’s in my heart will come out.
What happens if what’s in my heart is fear and worry?
Oy vey!
I like Joyce Meyer’s quote about worry: “Worry is like a rocking chair. It will keep you busy, but it gets you nowhere.” We need to keep the “rocking chairs” out of our heart, or everything we “do” will get us “nowhere”.
Philippians 4:4-7:
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds [thoughts] in Christ Jesus.
Note the word “And”. In this particular case that word is a lot like the word “therefore” – and it’s important to connect what comes after that word “and” to what comes before it.
I like the part that says I can have the peace of God. I adore the fact that God’s peace transcends all understanding. And take a look at that last part. God’s peace WILL GUARD MY HEART and my mind’s thoughts.
But I cannot take that verse away from the previous 3 verses.
Path to Bringing About God’s Peace to Me:
- Praise! Praise! Praise!! Always! Not just when things are going good. Maybe esp. not.
- Gentleness, patience, forgiving & forbearing spirit – be evident to all. Not just the people I like, but everyone – even those who annoy the crap out of me.
- Prayer, NOT worry. Yes – it is possible to not allow myself to be anxious.
- Positive, Pure Thinking. Think about what I’m thinking about – and then choose the positive. (verse 8)
- Do what you know is right to do – Practice. (verse 9)
Adam Clarke's Commentary puts it this way:
Shall keep your hearts — Shall keep them as in a strong place or castle. Your hearts- the seat of all your affections and passions, and minds- your understanding, judgment, and conscience through Christ Jesus; by whom ye were brought into this state of favour, through whom ye are preserved in it, and in whom ye possess it; for Christ keeps that heart in peace in which he dwells and rules. This peace passeth all understanding; it is of a very different nature from all that can arise from human occurrences; it is a peace which Christ has purchased, and which God dispenses; it is felt by all the truly godly, but can be explained by none; it is communion with the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, by the power and influence of the Holy Spirit.
My point is this: I think I was looking at this as something “I” had to do. And quite frankly, as important as it is, I failed miserably. Proverbs talks about me guarding my own heart. And to be sure, I carry some responsibility here as it is laid out. BUT I am frail humanity. And I will fail on my own. Someone or something will get my “password” and will attack my heart just when I’m most vulnerable.
But here in Philippians I read, that I am not the “guard of my heart” – GOD IS! I am told that if I will do my part, that GOD HIMSELF will guard my heart with His peace. Guard it like a castle. Not only that – which is a big enough deal – but He will also “guard my mind”, my very thoughts. I mean seriously. If God can take my tangled mess of a brain and guard it from the Enemy – Wow!!
So IF I follow His Word:
Praise -> leads to Visible Change: Gentleness (moderation) -> which leads to Prayer with Gratitude (NOT worry) -> which brings about Good Thinking (on purpose) -> and I continue to Practice this over and over and over! = PEACE!
It’s a pattern for life. The life God designed for me. Therefore, it’s perfect. And though I am not perfect, God has designed the perfect life for me. The perfect pattern.
God never said I had to work this out for myself. God never said that “I” was responsible for my heart, and maybe even my mind. Because I have proven I cannot do it alone. I am completely and utterly reliant upon God, the one Who began a good work in me, WILL complete it… WILL guard them both.
Colossians 3:15 – Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Beyond the “guarding” – I must step out of the way and allow God to RULE – not just my actions, but my thoughts and my desires.
There is a difference between simply “not doing anything wrong” and instead “moving forward to do right things!”
Today, let’s take that first step – Praise. When an anxious thought enters our brains – let’s just start repeating scripture or even phrases like “Thank You Jesus.” “I may not understand, but I trust You Jesus.” “God is in control – full stop!” As our mood or other changes take place, let’s add the next step – being gentle, patient, and forgiving. Yes – for even those people (you know who they are). And as the day progresses, and we start to get tired, let’s take a moment (or several moments) and pray. Because worry will try to step in and stop all progress. So let’s pray instead, with thankfulness. As we are thankful, let us think about those things and about the promises of God. Then “rinse and repeat”. Let’s do it all over again. God’s promise is that while we do these things, He will guard our hearts. So we can trust what comes from our hearts at that point. He will guard our minds. So we can trust the decisions we are making. And His peace – oh His blessed peace – will be upon us… during our waking moments, and when we lay down to sleep.
I am forever grateful that my Sovereign Father and God of the Universe, knows the “password” for guarding my heart, and that neither He nor it ever changes. What the Father and I have is a forever-password. He knows it, so I don’t need to. Thanks be to Jesus for giving me this pattern for life more abundant.
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© 2026: Connie F. Dunmyer, All Rights Reserved.