We have all heard it before. The greatest advice the world (and sadly, sometimes even Christians) can offer us, especially young people, is “Follow your heart…”But is that really good advice? Does the Bible give this instruction?
Jesus said in His sermon on the Mount, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:21) The logical question every Christian must ask would be: is it possible for your heart to value (treasure) something that is wrong or harmful - something that isn’t biblical or solely Christ Himself?
Umm, yes. It is a struggle all fallen humans face, to value Jesus as our infinite Treasure at all times. We treasure many other things like friends, cars, music, education, video games, money, and/or fame more than Christ. I am guilty of it, sadly. That is why this “follow your heart” advice has the potential to be very dangerous. Our hearts can at many times be in the wrong place, like focusing on ourselves instead of Christ, or enticed by worldly things instead of treasures in heaven.
We should follow Christ above our hearts.
Our hearts can lie to us. They are deceitful, as Jeremiah tells us. “The heart is more deceitful than all else… who can understand it?” (Jer. 17:9)
So who can understand the heart? God can. “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the result of his deeds.” (Jer. 17:10)
When we can't trust our own hearts, we can come and rely on God to test the motives and conditions of our hearts, and reveal what is truly there.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try my and know my anxious thoughts. And see if there my any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.”
Psalms 139:23-24
All I can say is AMEN !!!!!
ReplyDeletegood post... i like that :)
ReplyDeleteExcellent point, Kaysie. Thanks for posting that!
ReplyDeleteI definitely relate to this. The unfortunate (maybe that's the right word...) thing is that when you first start asking for God's guidance, sometimes you're just not sure if what you feel led to do is God or your heart. But it gets easier with time because as you know Him better, you better see what He wants.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more.
AMEN 1,000X over, dear Kaysie! :D
ReplyDeleteOh have I heard that one before! But as you point out in the Bible our hearts are deceitfully wicked, following our hearts will only lead us to hell, but as you point out we must follow Christ instead. Great post Kaysie!!
ReplyDelete[...] wonderful post on Alabaster Box. If there’s any message the world “preaches” that I can’t [...]
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