The Dark Side of 'Follow Your Heart': Being Led Astray

"Follow Your Heart" is a common phrase in our culture. You see it on t-shirts and bumper stickers because it sounds good. You probably hear it and think doing what makes you happy isn't a bad thing. However, the Bible completely contradicts "Follow Your Heart". In fact, the Bible has a lot to say about our hearts. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" Our hearts are bent towards satisfying the flesh (worldly desires), not the Spirit (Godly desires). This verse states we cannot understand our heart. What it implies is that often we are not even aware of the deceit in our hearts. This fact should make us question the desires of our heart, not follow them. God is so gracious to us, and He not only tells us the condition of our heart, but He also tells us how to fix it. "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13) Our hearts should be seeking after God, then we will find Him, and He will direct us. Our direction should come from God, not our heart. As Christians, our motto should be "Follow God, not Your Heart".

Another verse referring to the heart is, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10). David is asking the Lord to create in Him a pure heart after he committed adultery with Bathsheba. David, the man after God's own heart, allowed his heart to lead him into sinful choices. Then, he begged God to restore in him a heart that sought only the Lord. Read Psalm 51 to learn how David responded to the condition of his heart. Another Psalm pointing to the afflictions of our hearts is, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (Psalm 73:26). These verses in Psalm help us recognize that apart from God we will fall to our sinful nature time and time again.

However, if you, "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." (Proverbs 3:5-6). The Bible is clear about who we should follow and why. The Lord will guide you because He is omniscient (all-knowing) and sovereign (in control of everything). He is much more capable of leading you than your heart is! Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." God's desire is for you to follow Him, and allow Him to light your path. “He leads me in paths of righteousness” (Psalm 23:2). Righteousness is right standing with God. Proverbs 12:28 states, "In the path of righteousness there is life, in walking its path there is no death". There is no death because Jesus already paid the price for all our sins.

The choice is ours! We can follow our hearts, but that will lead us astray into darkness and death or we can follow God and experience paths of light and life. Following God is the only way to experience the fullness of life that God intended for us. How do you do that? God told us in His Word, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2). The culture of this world and it's beliefs should not guide you, God's Word should! Therefore, when you hear things like "Follow your heart" test them against the Word of God and see if they remain true. If not, trust the Word of God above all else!