Should You Follow Your Heart? Jesus Says No

The theme of “following our hearts” can be heard in popular music, Disney films, and all types of media today. You can most likely even find it written on a sign with trendy calligraphy. Yet, this anthem of the modern world is a misleading one.

As Christians, should we follow our hearts?

Jesus Says No

Jeremiah 17:9-10 tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (ESV).

That seems directly opposed to the world’s wisdom, and it is.

As naturally sinful creatures, our hearts are designed to lead us astray and, worse than that, to lead us away from God and His good plan for our lives.

Even King David knew the damage that our unchecked hearts could do to us when He said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm139:23 ESV).

Focusing on our own desires can be a path to destruction. If we leave God and His Word out of our plans, we are apt to go awry. Much as Eve let her heart dictate her choice to eat the forbidden fruit in the garden rather than the truths and wisdom of God, we, too, are tempted to let our feelings master us. God gives us a better way.

Aligning Our Hearts

The first step in preventing our heart from leading the way is to follow the wisdom of Romans 12:2, which says, “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,” (ESV).

Because our hearts are deceitful, we need to be rooted in truth. We need to evaluate the world’s wisdom and our heart’s desires against scripture. God’s Word is the resting place for our emotions. If they don’t match His truth, then we are out of alignment.

Once we learn to test our natural inclinations, we can confidently say, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4 ESV) because we know that our desires are in accordance with God’s will, not simply our fleshy desires.

Surrendering Our Hearts

While aligning our hearts seems straightforward, it isn’t always as easy as it seems. God’s Word can be hard to swallow, especially when it contradicts what our own hearts tell us. This is where submission comes in. First, we discover and know the truth, and then we accept it. We surrender our feelings and earthly wisdom for the goodness of God’s better plan.

Psalm 40:8 says, “I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart” (ESV). His law in our hearts will gradually morph into joyful surrender. Conscious decisions to obey God’s will rather than following our hearts will turn into habits, and the difficulty will decrease.

Imagine Eve in the garden again. What could she have done? Recited God’s Word to herself? Asked Adam for encouragement and wisdom and paused to evaluate before making a rash choice based on emotion?

Apply these to yourself and begin the profitable path of surrendering your heart to your God.

Obedience Fulfills

The blessing of this surrender is that the struggle will turn to peace, and the loss will turn to gain. Jesus tells us to “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33 ESV). When we start with God’s methods and plans, He will take care of our desires and emotions.

The fulfillment our hearts seek will become complete through Christ rather than through our meager means. The things our hearts crave will never satisfy us the way that the spiritual gifts and goodness of God can. Jesus is the owner of true abundance.

Jesus cautions us not to simply follow our desires because he knows the pitfalls of the heart. He knows that if we align our hearts with God’s will instead of relying on our feelings and surrendering our hearts to Him, we will obtain a more fulfilling Life. This simple obedience is the key to our true joy and success.