Proverbs 4:23

"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."
Proverbs 4:23


This is really interesting.  It says here that out of our hearts are the issues of life.  That is cool, and thought-provoking.  so often in life we watch (observe more than control) our thoughts, but the attendant emotions rage out of control... we assume that emotions just "happen" and there isn't anything that we can do about it... I mean, react to them, but not change them.  I think that this is saying otherwise... in "keeping" our hearts, we can tame and herd (if you will) the wild animals that are our emotions, lead them to pasture, prevent them from stampeding. :)  Also, if out of our hearts are the issues of life... then emotions are very important, not something to be shut out, walled up, or destroyed.  We have to watch how our emotions and actions relate... how our thoughts and our emotions relate, and learn the patterns... learn ourselves.  And that is most of life... learning who we are, learning how our spirits and our bodies are interconnected, spiritual and physical inseparable... and learning how to understand and control our entire selves, not sacrifice one for the other.  Giving up the spiritual self for the physical self, *or* the physical for the spiritual... finding a harmony and a balance, finding peace within.  And do cool and amazing things while we're at it.  A pretty good life, and everything around us is placed to help us learn those things... Neal A. Maxwell says that we are one another's clinical experience.  We need each other to be able to learn ourselves.  Whether we see something in others and then discover it in ourselves, or see something in ourselves and learn about it while observing other people... we're learning, we're becoming more knowledgeable about the human experience, about desires, passions... spiritual promptings.  Emotions, and all their attendant storms or calms.... these are ours to master, not to ignore.  So, your emotions are pretty independent, and you feel like you are trying to herd cats... big, saber-toothed ones... yeah.  We feel for you. :)  We understand.  we're trying to learn it all too.  So, today, let's notice those emotions, give them some obedience training... leashes... muzzles even, if that's how you have to start (though that might make them angrier, be careful...).  Let's help each other figure out our hearts. :)