We hear over and over again in modern culture, to follow our hearts. But should we really follow our hearts?
It is written, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
Our hearts, in their fallen condition, are deceitful above all things. Idol-making comes naturally to all people. Even good things can become idols when they take first place in our hearts.
Rather than trust our own hearts, we are to commit our hearts to God. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) This Bible verse gives us specific instructions not to trust ourselves and it also gives us a promise of guidance when we instead choose to follow the Lord.
The Bible makes it clear that if we follow our hearts, we follow an untrustworthy guide. It also tells us that our hearts are desperately sick. There’s no way for us to repair our hearts. This is why, when we become Christians, we’re given a new heart.
But that doesn’t mean that we can rely on our hearts once we’ve come to faith in Jesus Christ. Even as believers, we’re encouraged to follow God’s will over our own desires. The Bible teaches us that, “the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” (Galatians 5:17)
We have an all powerful, all knowing, benevolent Lord who promises to give us wisdom. (James 1:5) And we also have His inspired and inerrant Word written down for us. So why then would we turn our backs on God and His promises in order to pursue the desires of our heart? It is better to align our desires with the promises of our Lord. And we do this through the daily practice of studying the written Word of God. This way, we can properly discern between the desires of our flesh and the desires of the Spirit.
I highly recommend daily Bible reading to deepen your faith. If you have any questions about the Bible, http://www.gotquestions.org is a great resource!