Heart Roots
Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. PROVERBS 4:23 NASB
Roots are the heart of a plant. Everything grows form and through them. When roots are healthy, plants are vibrant. When roots are sick, plants wane. Roots may be small, but they have the greatest influence on a plant’s life and condition.
Our lives flow out of that which fills our hearts, just like water flows from roots. What fills our hearts stems from what we seed in our minds. When we set our minds on following God, the fruits of His Spirit spring up in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23 NASB).
Our hearts become sick when we imitate “deeds of the flesh”: immorality, impurity, idolatry, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, disputes, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, and things like these (Galatians 5:19–21 NASB). These seeds of sickness can take hold quickly if they’re planted, and it doesn’t take long for them to carry “root rot” to our hearts.
If you think root rot sounds terrible, it is. It’s why we’re told to watch over our hearts diligently. What takes root in them through what we allow into our minds is a big deal. Let’s focus our thoughts today on what God says is good and feel our hearts bloom with the sweet fruits of His Spirit.
“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies” (Philippians 4:8–9 THE MESSAGE).
God, I want my life to bear the fruits of Your Spirit. Show me what is true, noble, and right, and direct my mind away from harmful thoughts. Help me to honor You with my thoughts, words, and actions.
This is an excerpt from Playing in the Dirt: 90 Devotions for Crazy Plant Ladies – a new devotional journal now available for pre-order on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.
