Follow your heart. That’s a great line in a story but terrible advice for real life.
Why? Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (NIV)
Following our hearts often leads to self-destruction because we don’t realize that our hearts are corrupt. We all want to do things we ought not do.
This leads to our hearts being conflicted.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (ESV)
The Bible is clear that we are constantly in a war between our spirit and our flesh—taking up the cross to follow Christ while wanting to indulge in our self-centered desires. Follow Jesus or follow our hearts.
Plus, our hearts are ever-changing. Following your heart may look different today than it will a year from now, a week from now, or even tomorrow.
The solution is found in Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (NIV)
We should guard our heart, not follow it.
The next three weeks we’ll look at how our hearts are corrupt, conflicted, and changing.
