Guardrails on The Journey

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”  Proverbs 4:23 NIV

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:7 RSV

As I have travelled the interstate highways, I have noticed many guardrails are damaged.  Some just have dents in them.  Some have been pushed down, and some look like they were rolled up from a can opener.  Guard rails help protect vehicles from danger.  They prevent vehicles from crossing the median and going into oncoming traffic.  They are placed along curves on the roadside to protect vehicles if they lose control around the curve.  Guard rails are a protection to keep vehicles within the boundary of the current roadway.  On back roads, guardrails are not always present, and you can see the danger on the curves and through the hillsides.

Guardrails keep one from the dangers on the highway.  They are boundaries of the road.  Living within the boundary of today is how God created us to live.  To live fully within each twenty-four hours.  God knew the danger of seeing the future or living in the past so God set limits on each day.  The danger of crossing this boundary is called anxiety.  It is focusing on the worry and fears of the future or regret of the past and not enjoying and experiencing the present.

God provides guardrails for our personal lives too.  The Bible expresses how God calls us to live and gives guidance for life.  Prayer is a guardrail that keeps us in communication with our Heavenly Father who loves us, forgives us, and desires for us to live in constant communication with Him.  By doing so, we are aware of the dangers of sin and the evils of this world.

Guardrails are needed in relationships too.  We usually call them boundaries.  It is how much one shares and allows another person into one’s life.  It is deciding how much one gives in time, talent and gifts, and commitment.  Boundaries help us to remain in control of our own lives and not give in to the danger of being controlled by someone else.  Boundaries keep us from the negativity of relationships, but the boundaries also help us stay on track to grow and move forward in a healthier way.

Your thoughts need guardrails to keep you from the dangers of negativity, discouragement, worry, fear, and a vast array of thoughts that will get you derailed from God’s purpose and direction in life.  So how do we not get derailed?  Remember that guardrails on a road do not prevent the curves and cliffs and drop offs, they just provide a protection from them if you obey the warnings and slow down on the curves.  So, the dangers and negatives of life are still going to be present.  God does not take them away but provides protection if we slow down, become aware of them, and ask God to help us navigate the curves of life.  It is being in constant communication with God about what is around you and allowing His protective care to surround you.

It is putting good thoughts in your head through God’s Word – the Bible, listening and singing Christian praise and worship songs, and surrounding yourself with people who pour good into you.  Set a boundary of the negativity of social media, the news, and any media that focuses on the evil and bad.  The dangers are real and present.  The guardrail is what is between you and the danger.  Let the guardrail be God.

For you and me, our spiritual guardrail is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our counselor to guide our thoughts and make us aware of the dangers.  But we have a choice to listen or ignore the nudging of the Spirit.  Guardrails on the highway are damaged or destroyed because of an accident, someone choosing to go too fast, falling asleep, or making a poor choice while behind the wheel.  The guardrail tried to protect as much as it could to prevent injury.  The Holy Spirit tries to protect each one of us, but we can make the choice not to listen.

People can also be guardrails for our lives.  Those that give us guidance and protection.  Those who have been with us through the dangers, traumas, and trials of life.  They may have even taken some of the load and impact for us.  Just like a highway guardrail takes the impact of the vehicle as it protects the vehicle from the danger on the other side.  There are people who come alongside us and help us through the dangerous curves of our lives.

As we journey down the highway of life, let us stay within the boundary of today allowing God’s Holy Spirit to be our guardrail of protection and God’s Word.  Guard your heart from the evils, negativity, and worry of the world. 

“Brothers and sisters, think about the things that are good and worthy of praise.  Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.”  Philippians 4:8 NCV

Some of my future blogs will focus on people and events that have been my guardrails and signposts in my life.