Proverbs 2:7
“He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,”
Proverbs 30:5
“Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”
Psalm 7:10
“My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.”
Last week we talked about how the Lord shields us from harm and harming those closest to us. The question is, how do we secure God’s shield? Part of it, as we discussed last week, is to seek refuge in Him when we find ourselves confused, worried or dismayed. If we want to have God’s shield around us, scripture indicates that there are also other things we need to set our hearts and minds on.
Proverbs speaks to God’s storing up sound wisdom and being a shield for those who are upright and walk with integrity. We see it again in Proverbs 30; part of being shielded is taking refuge in Him. Psalm 7:10 speaks of having an upright heart to experience God’s protection.
Securing God’s shield is about leaning into God and not our own understanding. This is essential in psychology where there are measures of objectivity vs subjectivity. In my trials this past year I was operating far too subjectively; this was based on my wounded emotions. I drew conclusions that seemed fine, even right, but in the end were not sound. Such a position could have led to harm for me and those closest to me.
In the Bible the word:
- Heart appears 862 times
- Mind appears 139 times
Having an upright heart is not simply about praying, it is about addressing the areas of damage that lead to areas of sensitivity that cause us to become subjective and kick into a self protection mode. Our objectivity is lost due to the pain that occurs when one of our sensitive areas is touched by our family and friends.
I have found that my subjectivity was significant in certain areas that I am now working through with the Lord and others. Those included being heard, believed and feeling alone. When things happened that touched these areas, my emotions and desire to prevent being hurt caused me to do and say things that did not help. As I work through the realities of a wounded heart, it is fascinating to see how this has impacted me adversely by my either saying too much or not saying anything when something needed to be said.
I am learning and growing in these areas as I seek the Lord’s insights and healing. It has not been fun or without painful memories and realizations but it is worth it to have a healthy upright heart restored within me. This is essential so that my wounded emotions do not move me away from wisdom and integrity. I can take refuge in Him rather than trying to protect myself; I can live securely behind God’s shield.