Do Not Follow Your Heart

Do NOT follow your heart. Yes, I know that this may may sound strange in a world that continuously tells us to do just that, to follow our heart. But I will repeat, do not follow your heart. Instead, first and foremost, guard your heart.

As followers of Christ Jesus, above all else, we need to guard our hearts, for it is our heart that determines the course of our life (Psalm 4:23). We are free in each moment to choose what we let into our heart and what we let dominate there, what we choose to want and desire... to treasure. And what we choose to treasure, that is where our heart is (Matthew 6:21) and it will drive the course of our life, for better or worse.

The world works very hard to steal your heart and implant in it what it deems to be the right kinds of treasures, influencing your wants and desires. And the world can be very enticing and persuasive. Yet, we know as believers, that out of a heart dominated by the treasures of the world comes all kinds of misguided and harmful intentions and actions, lust, envy, lies, and hate (Matthew 15:19); leading people into all types of error, confusion, harm, disappointment, despair, and ruin. The heart then, in and of itself, is NOT the pinnacle of right motive and action. Far from, it can be exceptionally devious and perverse, even beyond our own comprehension and understanding (Jeremiah 17:9).

Therefore, as followers of Jesus Christ we need to guard our hearts above all else. We confess Christ as the treasure of our heart and so we need to conscientiously and continuously ensure that our heart is home to Christ. When we do this, we allow Him to guide us, inclining our heart to His understanding and allowing His wisdom to reside there, protecting us from destructive paths (Proverbs 2: 2, 10, 12). In Christ's guiding of our lives we produce the fruit of God's good and loving design for our lives...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, warmth, self-discipline (Galatians 5:22), and these are the things that allow us to take hold of the life that really is life! (1 Timothy 6:19) A life rich in meaning, purpose and service; a life that allows God's truth and light to abound and grants His will to be done in order that the joys and riches of heaven may be known here on earth (Matthew 6:10).

Thus, before any action to "follow your heart", first ensure that the peace of Christ rules in your heart (Colossians 3:15). Let us ask God to search us and know our heart (Psalm 139:23), let us pray to Him that He would create in us a clean heart (Psalm 51:10), one that is pure and reveres Him alone (Psalm 86:11). Let us spend time in His Word, permitting His living presence to teach our innermost heart wisdom (Psalm 51:6). He, who is faithful, will do these things (1 Thessalonians 5:24). Then, with the eyes of our heart enlightened (Ephesians 1:18), may we lead a life of blessing and partake in His good and loving ministry of reconciliation to a broken world (2 Corinthians 5:18), fulfilling the true purpose of a heart made right with God, through our following... Jesus Christ. Amen