safeinsanity's blog: "The Scoop"

Take your hand and place it over your heart. The beat that you feel should remind you of the purpose you have on this earth. The heart functions as the source of life. You can’t survive without it and the healthier your heart is, the better your life becomes.
King Solomon, the author of the Book of Proverbs, speaks to the issue of guarding your heart against the injuries of life. Pain is an inevitable part of your developmental journey. What you do with that pain is entirely up to you. In order to excel in areas of influence and relationship, it is necessary to allow the crucible of pain to harden your resolve, NOT your heart!
Remember a time in your early teens, when your bones ached because you were experiencing “growing pains.” Although you were uncomfortable, the benefit of enduring the pain outweighed the irritation of the experience.
Think about a house. If the foundation is broken, it doesn’t matter how good the roof looks, the structure is sure to crumble. Protecting your heart from offense, injury, bitterness and callousness is absolutely crucial to the success of what you are trying to build.
Most often, leadership development comes through situations that are unpleasant. We learn some of the most important lessons of life in the midst of trials and tribulations. Keeping your heart pure ensures that the final product of your life will be a true reflection of your values, not of your disappointments.
In order to continually grow, it is supremely important that you guard your heart against internalizing injury that will ultimately affect your outlook and destiny. Everyone experiences difficult seasons. How you respond to these seasons is what defines you. Take time to audit the health of your heart. And above all else guard it with diligence!