Are you in the driver’s seat or are your desires driving you? Wise people put warnings in place to guard their hearts. They bypass right and wrong, legal and illegal, and instead hand their heart over to the one who created them.

I will not allow my stuff to compete with my peace, my kids, my marriage or the destiny God has given me in my life. To guard my heart I must seek Jesus first, care for others and only then think of myself.

We talk a lot about the first and greatest commandment, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). This one verse is foundational to everything else we do in our lives and in the christian faith. Without it we are missing everything.

Sex and relationships

Place God first and others second. This is a declaration of trust.

How can you fully love and serve another if you are so consumed by your own desires and needs that you do not see where or if God is even working in that relationship? To have a right relationship with others, your relationship with God must come first. Without making God the center you are placing your own heart, and the hearts of others, at risk.

Guarding your own heart by giving God the keys also protects the hearts of those you love. This applies to romantic relationships as well as friends, children, parents and peers. Placing God in the driver’s seat guards your heart and theirs.

Money and stuff

The key to freedom is to let go of your stuff. When you live like possessions are all there is, you will never be satisfied.

Guard your heart when it comes to money by handing over control to God. Seek the kingdom of God first. Jesus said that how we love others shows how we love him. Giving and caring for the needs of others is living into the life Jesus has called you to.

When you are concerned about the future, you will white-knuckle everything. Let go of this fear. God will always provide.

Give your heart away

Jesus said that whoever wants to be great among you must be a servant, whoever wants to be first must be a slave to all. Look no further than Jesus’ example. He gave his life to serve and then he asked us to turn around and to serve others. He didn’t just ask, Jesus did it first.

Guarding your heart isn’t about never getting hurt, never experiencing pain and always feeling good. No, guarding your heart is seeking out God’s desire for your life. That often means sacrifice and always means selflessness.

Give your heart away. Stop hoarding your relationships, your money, your stuff, your dreams. Don’t get distracted by stuff. Instead, give your life away. Serve your neighbors. Seek God. Be selfless. It solves everything.

Ready to hear more. Listen to Rumble Strips. In this series, we look at how to create those protective rumble strips that alert us to danger and keep us from crashing our life into a wall.