JANUARY 17 - Guard Your Flow and Fix Your Focus
3-Year-Bible Reading: Proverbs 4:20-23; Matthew 14
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“My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.” — Proverbs 4:20–21
“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’” — Matthew 14:30
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Ever been doing great—feeling confident, strong in your faith—then suddenly, one thing goes wrong, and your whole mindset crashes? Maybe it was a rumor, a rejection, or a storm of anxiety that made you sink into fear or insecurity. That moment when Peter stepped out of the boat in Matthew 14 looked like a bold faith win... until he took his eyes off Jesus. Fear took over. And that’s exactly what happens when we let distractions steal our focus or allow junk to crowd our hearts. In Proverbs 4, the writer pleads with us to “keep [God’s words] within your heart”—because what’s in your heart affects how you respond when the storms come. If you’re constantly feeding your heart fear, comparison, or lies, don’t be surprised when you start to sink too. But God’s Word can be your anchor. What flows into your heart determines what flows out of your life.
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THINK ABOUT IT
1. What Are You Letting In? Are you paying attention to what you watch, listen to, or scroll through? Your heart is like a sponge—it soaks in whatever you feed it.
2. Eyes on Jesus: Peter only started sinking when he saw the wind. What are you focusing on when life feels shaky—your problems or your Savior?
3. Your Flow Determines Your Future: Proverbs teaches that your heart is the “wellspring of life.” If that spring is full of truth, peace, and faith, you won’t be easily shaken.
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BOTTOM LINE
What you allow into your heart and what you focus on will either lift you in faith or sink you in fear.
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PRAYER
Heavenly Father, help me to pay attention to what I’m letting into my heart. Teach me to guard it like treasure and to stay focused on Jesus, no matter what distractions or storms try to shake me. Keep me anchored in Your truth and full of Your peace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
