Follow Your Heart ....Not!!

One of the most popular sayings you hear over and over again to find your ultimate happiness is , just follow your heart. You hear it in popular music . In songs from Jewel to bands like Triumph , the message is the same . Your heart , your inner most desires are to be trusted . When in doubt let your heart be your guide . You can trust it , it will not lead you astray .Right!

So if I'm one is dissatisfied in any situation it must be the heart telling your inner most being what you are involved with is wrong . Not happy with your spouse and your heart is telling you  need to go , well that settles it. Or your in a situation where your feeling led to try something new , even if it goes against your moral code , perhaps your heart is telling you need to break free of those old codes . Those outdated codes are robbing you of your happiness. All that is holding you back is your not following your heart. Your suppressing yourself.

But the heart is not a neutral thing or even a good thing . Back up a second and think about your inner most thoughts and examine where they take you . Should you act on every thought or feeling you have . Can one trust the heart to lead you into a right path. I mean one of the lyrics of a song called Follow Your Heart goes like this , your gotta follow your heart , any other way will only lead to sorrow. I would argue , people who have followed their hearts have lead to more sorrow . Look around at the world , it is broken and hurting. Why ? The heart is sick ,evil and dead in sin .


[9] The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
 (Jeremiah 17:9 ESV)

This is the true condition of a mans heart. It is a pool of deceit , it is corrupt , defiled and full of depraved thoughts. Our inner soul is a cesspool of depravity . It is dead to God and alive to sin. Our "feelings" should never be totally trusted .


[19] For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
(Matthew 15:19 ESV)  These words of Jesus cut right to the heart of the matter. Our inner beings reveal our real state. Our hearts , our inner will , is not neutral , it as a malevolent thing. Hatching sin upon sin. Look around , watch a few TV programs or movies. Read the paper , you know something is wrong with us . Its not our environment that makes us do wrong or sin , we sin because it is who we are . From birth we are slaves to sin . Under the wrath of God , condemned by our straying hearts.

So what is the hope ? The hope is not to follow our hearts but to repent of that sin of self idolatry , and turn to follow Jesus Christ . To acknowledge your sin , admit the evil within your heart and trust in the blood , shed on the cross for your sin to cleanse you . Not only cleanse you , but God will make you alive to Him .


[26] And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. [27] And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
(Ezekiel 36:26-27 ESV)

Read those words carefully . A new heart ,one alive to God , one that loves His law and commandments.The Holy Spirit comes and indwells , residing in us . Awakening us to sin , the goodness of Gods word , the love of Christ and a hunger for righteousness.

Follow your heart at your own peril unless it has been transformed by the gospel of Christ.Then find a good church, sit under the preaching of the word . Part take of the Lord's supper , read the word and pray with the intent for the Lord to search your heart . If you want to follow your heart to follow someone who can be trusted , I will let these words have the last say .


[24] Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
(Matthew 16:24 ESV)