Christian Hub
1 year ago
Should We Really Follow Our Hearts? Discover the Truth
What does it mean to "follow your heart"? We often hear this phrase as advice when making important decisions or pursuing our passions. It suggests that we should trust our instincts and desires, believing that our hearts will lead us in the right direction. But have you ever stopped to consider the implications of following your heart? Is it really a reliable guide?
In a previous article titled "Don't Follow Your Heart," I argued that our hearts are not trustworthy leaders. This idea may seem counterintuitive, especially considering the prevalent cultural belief in following one's heart. However, if we take a closer look at what the heart represents and how it functions, we will realize that blindly following our hearts can lead to confusion and deception.
So, what exactly is "the heart"? When we talk about following our hearts, we are referring to the innermost part of our being, our soul. The heart is the source of our affections, our strong inclinations towards or away from someone or something. These inclinations are often described as loves or hates. In essence, the heart serves as the treasurer of our soul, determining what we treasure or value the most.
In Matthew 6:21, Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." This statement emphasizes that our hearts should be set on God, the ultimate treasure. As Christians, we are called to love God with all our hearts (Matthew 22:37). However, despite our new hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26), our sin nature still persists, leading us astray and requiring constant vigilance.
When we say "follow your heart," what we really mean is "pursue what you want." This alternative phrasing reveals the true nature of the heart as a "wanter." Our hearts desire what they treasure. Therefore, following our hearts essentially means pursuing our wants and desires. But here lies the problem – not all our wants are aligned with what is good for us. Our hearts can be selfish and easily deceived, leading us down destructive paths.
Consider the phrase "pursue what you want." It sounds more crass and exposes the moral ambiguities at play. While we may disagree on which wants are worth pursuing, we can all acknowledge that not all wants are beneficial. Our hearts often desire things that are harmful to us, and blindly pursuing those wants can have negative consequences.
Moreover, the heart does not lead; it follows. We don't actually follow our hearts but rather the objects that stir our heart's affections. The Bible never instructs us to follow our hearts; instead, it instructs our hearts to align with God's design. We are called to treasure what is truly valuable (Matthew 13:44), to love what is right for the right reasons (Matthew 22:37–39), to trust what is true (Proverbs 3:5–6), and to hate what is evil (Psalm 97:10).
So, in reality, we never truly follow our hearts. We follow what our hearts want. This realization challenges the notion of "following your heart" and exposes its potential for deception. Satan can use this cultural creed to obscure the truth and lead us astray, all while convincing us that we are simply being true to ourselves.
God, on the other hand, doesn't want our eyes fixed on our hearts. He knows that our hearts are not designed to be followed but to be led and directed (2 Thessalonians 3:5). God wants the eyes of our hearts to be enlightened, to see the real treasure and pursue it (Ephesians 1:18). That's why He tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). God wants us to understand that we don't follow our hearts; we follow Jesus.
In conclusion, the idea of following our hearts can be misleading and deceptive. Our hearts are not reliable leaders but followers of what they desire. They can be easily swayed by selfishness and deceived by our sin nature. Instead of blindly following our hearts, we should align our hearts with God's design and seek His guidance. Only by fixing our eyes on Jesus can we find the true treasure and make wise decisions. So, let us not be deceived by the cultural creed of following our hearts, but rather let us follow the One who leads us in the paths of righteousness.
In a previous article titled "Don't Follow Your Heart," I argued that our hearts are not trustworthy leaders. This idea may seem counterintuitive, especially considering the prevalent cultural belief in following one's heart. However, if we take a closer look at what the heart represents and how it functions, we will realize that blindly following our hearts can lead to confusion and deception.
So, what exactly is "the heart"? When we talk about following our hearts, we are referring to the innermost part of our being, our soul. The heart is the source of our affections, our strong inclinations towards or away from someone or something. These inclinations are often described as loves or hates. In essence, the heart serves as the treasurer of our soul, determining what we treasure or value the most.
In Matthew 6:21, Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." This statement emphasizes that our hearts should be set on God, the ultimate treasure. As Christians, we are called to love God with all our hearts (Matthew 22:37). However, despite our new hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26), our sin nature still persists, leading us astray and requiring constant vigilance.
When we say "follow your heart," what we really mean is "pursue what you want." This alternative phrasing reveals the true nature of the heart as a "wanter." Our hearts desire what they treasure. Therefore, following our hearts essentially means pursuing our wants and desires. But here lies the problem – not all our wants are aligned with what is good for us. Our hearts can be selfish and easily deceived, leading us down destructive paths.
Consider the phrase "pursue what you want." It sounds more crass and exposes the moral ambiguities at play. While we may disagree on which wants are worth pursuing, we can all acknowledge that not all wants are beneficial. Our hearts often desire things that are harmful to us, and blindly pursuing those wants can have negative consequences.
Moreover, the heart does not lead; it follows. We don't actually follow our hearts but rather the objects that stir our heart's affections. The Bible never instructs us to follow our hearts; instead, it instructs our hearts to align with God's design. We are called to treasure what is truly valuable (Matthew 13:44), to love what is right for the right reasons (Matthew 22:37–39), to trust what is true (Proverbs 3:5–6), and to hate what is evil (Psalm 97:10).
So, in reality, we never truly follow our hearts. We follow what our hearts want. This realization challenges the notion of "following your heart" and exposes its potential for deception. Satan can use this cultural creed to obscure the truth and lead us astray, all while convincing us that we are simply being true to ourselves.
God, on the other hand, doesn't want our eyes fixed on our hearts. He knows that our hearts are not designed to be followed but to be led and directed (2 Thessalonians 3:5). God wants the eyes of our hearts to be enlightened, to see the real treasure and pursue it (Ephesians 1:18). That's why He tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). God wants us to understand that we don't follow our hearts; we follow Jesus.
In conclusion, the idea of following our hearts can be misleading and deceptive. Our hearts are not reliable leaders but followers of what they desire. They can be easily swayed by selfishness and deceived by our sin nature. Instead of blindly following our hearts, we should align our hearts with God's design and seek His guidance. Only by fixing our eyes on Jesus can we find the true treasure and make wise decisions. So, let us not be deceived by the cultural creed of following our hearts, but rather let us follow the One who leads us in the paths of righteousness.
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