Have you ever heard the phrase, “Just follow your heart?” I’ve heard it thousands of times. You don’t know what career path to choose, “Just follow your heart.” Want to know if you should keep dating that person, “Just follow your heart.” But is that really the best advice we can give? Should we really follow our hearts? I say NO!
Why? Because what the Bible says about the heart isn’t quite so warm and fuzzy.
“… every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood.” (Genesis 8:21)
Every inclination of your heart is evil. If someone tells you to “trust your heart,” that’s bad advice. That is unless you want to be evil. In that case, follow away. But for the majority of us who would rather be the hero than the villain, we need to realize that our feelings will lead us astray. Our heart is evil from birth.
If you are a parent, you understand this. My 3-year old little girl, Ashlyn, does nothing but follow her heart. Everything she does is based on how she feels. She wants a new toy in a store. When we tell her, “No.” She throws a fit and gets put in time out. That’s what her heart told her to do.
Nobody taught her to be selfish, manipulative, or to lie in an attempt to escape trouble. Her heart did.
How many times have you made a quick, emotional decision that you later regretted? You got caught up in excitement, anger, lust, envy, or any combination of emotions. You pulled the trigger, made the purchase, made the decision, or said those words and you still regret it today. You weren’t thinking clearly. You were blinded by your feelings. Your heart misled you.
Your feelings constantly change, but God never changes. Your motives will lie to you, but God never lies.
Don’t trust your heart. Trust the God who created it.
What are some ways that your heart is trying to mislead you?