Spiritual Cholesterol

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (Proverbs 4:23 NLT)

We have been constantly reminded over the last decade about cholesterol. There are warnings about cholesterol numbers and getting cholesterol checked at physical time. We've heard about diet; the foods that raise cholesterol and foods that lower it. We have heard volumes about how exercise can lower the numbers.

When too much 'bad' cholesterol is circulating in the blood stream, it can clog the arteries and lead to significant impact, and ultimately lead to heart disease. There are no symptoms of high cholesterol, only symptoms caused by the damage it is doing to the body.

There are common emotional reactions that, if left unchecked, will act spiritually just like cholesterol and damage a person's spiritual circulatory system. Fear, sorrow, anger, hurt, worry are some of the common emotions that each of us experience. Theses emotions have beneficial uses. Life could be difficult and at times confusing without them.

When there is too much of these emotions, there can be clogging of the spiritual arteries. Too much of each of these can actually bring about emotional paralysis.

Solomon's advice to 'guard your heart above all else' was not about cholesterol. His admonition was about spiritual cholesterol. It was about guarding against emotions run amuck. His warning was about fear that becomes chronic, sorrow that becomes depression, unchecked anger that becomes rage, hurts that without forgiveness become bitterness, and worry that can become paranoia.

The fruit of the Holy Spirit is 'high cholesterol' medicine. The Holy Spirit wants to grow love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control in us. These fruits combat high 'spiritual cholesterol.'

Holy Spirit, grow your fruit in us. Combat the high spiritual cholesterol in us that clogs our spiritual circulatory system. Amen.