How many times have you been given the advice to follow your heart? This advice, although most likely given with good intentions, is a bit misguided. Our hearts are very fickle, and what we feel in our hearts (raw emotions) can easily lead us astray or get us into trouble. This is why the Bible cautions in Proverbs 4:23 to “keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Our hearts, in and of themselves, aren’t necessarily to be trusted to make the best or wisest decisions for us. But a heart that belongs to Jesus is a source of life that can be trusted and followed.
Our hearts are extremely important to God. When we put our faith in God, He gives us a new heart – a heart for Him and His ways. In Ezekiel 36:26 God declares, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” When we put our faith in God through His Son, Jesus, God will take up residence in our hearts in the form of the Holy Spirit (II Corinthians 1:22). From that moment on the presence of God will always be with us gently guiding us along a straight path. Then we can be confident that when we follow our hearts we will not be led astray, because God’s desires will become the desires we have in our hearts. This is God working in us in order to fulfill His good purpose (Philippians 2:13).
As believers we have a choice each day to either walk in our flesh (allowing our hearts to lead us by how we feel) or to walk in the Spirit (allowing God to lead us in His ways). God knows our hearts (Luke 16:15) and knows our motivations for doing what we do. Walking in the Spirit is the only way we can truly follow our hearts without being led astray by our fleshly desires.
Take Action – Are you following your heart today? If so, what is it telling you to do? Are you being controlled by your fickle fleshly emotions or are you being led by the Holy Spirit? You can easily tell the difference. Being led by your flesh, giving in to your emotions, will often leave you with an uneasy feeling (that’s your conscience). Being led by the Spirit will leave you feeling peaceful, joyful, and full of love. If you feel you are being led too much by your emotions, express to God your desire to change and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you. God will be faithful and answer your request, for it is His desire!
Meditate on Scripture: Ephesians 1:17-18 (NIV) – I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people…
Further Study – Ezekiel 36 – Ezekiel was a prophet who was prophesying to the Israelite captives in Babylon. The Israelites’ hearts had been turned away from God, but in Ezekiel 36 they are given hope through God’s message that He will give them a new heart. God offers us all a fresh start when we choose Him and His ways.
On a side note here, we can learn a lot from Ezekiel and his obedience to God. Ezekiel was a man who was obedient to the Word of God even when asked to carry out some very difficult instructions. Read Ezekiel 4 to see what God asked Ezekiel to do. After reading, why do you think God was asking Ezekiel to do something so difficult?
This is so good!! The Lord has been telling me to “follow my heart” but He also says “you have My heart.” So what He really is saying is for me to follow HIS heart!! Amen!
Absolutely. Amen!