A Monitored Heart
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Proverbs 4:23
A recent heart episode stopped me in my tracks and had me at attention. Because of family heart history, every little flutter can bring sudden fear. I had done my yearly examination which included all of the important heart tests. All came back normal and I felt great relief. But a few weeks later I was awakened from a deep sleep with a pounding heartbeat. My body was sweating and I had an excruciating headache. I didn’t know if I needed to go to the emergency room, call the doctor or go back to bed. When I got up and walked around the house my heart seemed to settle down. Was it an unknown dream or lurking anxiety that pushed my heart into overdrive? Was my heart out of rhythm or was there something hidden? I may never know, but it got my attention in many ways.
Canceling all plans for the day, God made a way for me to see a cardiologist within a few short hours. After a stack of paperwork and a series of questions, he ordered a heart monitor. It was a little device stuck to my chest and a phone to be kept close by at all times. Twenty-four hours a day for five days this little device monitored my heart. When I felt a flutter, a skipped beat or any discomfort, I stopped what I was doing and recorded it along with my activity level at the time.
I was intrigued that a monitoring company was watching the inner workings of my heart live and would contact me if there was anything dangerous going on. I had a heightened awareness of everything I felt. I never received a call and I don’t have the results of the test, as of yet. But I didn’t miss the greater warning from it all.
As I looked into the mirror seeing the device on my chest, I thought of how incredible it would be to have a device glued to my spirit heart that could take note and record every little seed of bitterness or cruel judgement, or give a beep warning me when I was living in overdrive driven by the hurry of life or a recording of all trouble lurking within needing immediate attention or maybe a signal when my battery was running low and in great need of recharging, or even a sharp nudge warning me to quickly forgive before hatred sprouts up.
We need a great awakening of the seriousness of what’s happening within our hearts. I soon realized that the device I desired is already installed. It is the precious and powerful Holy Spirit. He nudges, warns and reveals trouble that is lurking within if only I will stay sensitive to his every nudge. My heart cry is that the Spirit of God will search me and show me what’s going on in my heart at all times. My part is to agree with the Spirit. We are warned in our key verse to guard, be vigilant in watching over our hearts, because all of life flows from within.
“Lord bring awareness to me today of what is going on in this heart of mine. May I be quick to agree with you allowing you to cleanse and adjust my heart to be more and more like yours.”