What does the Bible say about guarding your heart?

Proverbs 4:23 emphasizes the importance of guarding our hearts, for everything about our life flows from it. This means that our thoughts, desires, and actions are deeply influenced by what resides in our hearts. As believers, we understand that our hearts are naturally deceitful and wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), and therefore need diligent protection against anything that might corrupt them. This guarding entails being mindful of what we consume in terms of speech, media, and relationships. It requires a focus on Christ and those things that are pure, noble, and praiseworthy to cultivate a heart that honors God.