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Follow Your Heart?

People encourage others to 'follow their heart' as if our hearts will lead us to where we need or should go.  That it will lead us to happiness and all we have to do is let it lead.  It sounds all good and freeing but should we?   Should we 'follow our heart' or is that something more going on in our hearts that we should not follow.

What does our human heart tell us?
To do what is best for you and only for those who could and do encourage what is best for you. Those who would not and don't encourage what is best for you, they are wrong.  Our heart is our standard and test for what is best for ourselves and the world around us.
Its a basic creed that is shared by all people.  But again, should faith in our hearts lead us?  Should we encourage others to be lead by their hearts?  To look much deeper we need to see what our creator has said about our hearts.

Also see our articles: "The World" According To God and How "Love is Love" is Unloving.

What does our creator tell us?

"the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick" (Jeremiah 17:9). Jesus states this:  out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander” (Matthew 15:19).  Yikes.  According to our creator, our hearts have become sinfully sick.  The sickness leads our hearts to generate terrible things. 

Those who murder, cheat on their spouses, addicted to pornography and other sexual enslaving life styles, those who love to steal, lie, and spread rumors about other people; all were lead by their heart.  They all did what they do because of their heart.  Their heart deceived them into thinking they were doing what was best for themselves.  Some are deceived into thinking that what they were doing was good for those who support and encourage them as well.  Sin was not their worst enemy, their heart was; as it lead them into sin. 

This is also true for those who are not murders, robbers, thieves, and so on.  For all those who think that by how 'good' they live, they are 'right'.  That their heart tells them to help the needy and it is that help that makes them 'good' for society.   Because of what they do, they benefit humanity by their good deeds.

The problem is that our heart does not tell us the truth; it just tells us what we want to hear.  Our heart leads us to corrupt and infect the beauties around us and make them into self-glorifying self-justifying self-righteous poison.  At the core of our sick hearts; it will lead us to want to be our own god; the ultimate form of slavery, self-worship.

What Saves Us From Our Heart?

As we continue to seek the guidance and leadership of our heart, we become more and more sick as the infection that is generated from our heart spreads throughout our life.  Following our heart does not save anyone.  There is nothing good that comes from following our sick hearts.  So how are we saved?  God intercedes for us (Hebrews 7:25), He saves us (Titus 3:5) and injects true saving faith in Jesus Christ, into our heart (John 14:1) by revealing His Grace (Eph 2:5) because of our hearts (Col 2:13). 

Also see our page: The Gospel

If We Should Not Listen To Our Heart; Who Do We Listen To?

Once genuine faith in Jesus Christ has been injected by God in our heart, we can then trust Him and let him lead us (John 10:27).  He is our guide in life.  He is the way, the truth and the life that leads us through this world (John 14:6); not our sick hearts.  His Character, works, precepts, principles, guidance, and truths are what help us make the decisions in our lives (Ps 119).

There will be instances where our heart directly conflicts with God.  That we desire something that is not in God's will for us.  There will be instances when our heart seemingly agrees with God.  No matter the instance, God should be our authority not our hearts. In fact we tell our heart to trust God.  We fight against our sick heart and force it to depend on God (1 John 3:20, Proverbs 3:5-6).  We trust God and not our heart (Jeremiah 17:7).

Also see our articles: Do You Want To Hear God Speak? and Christains that are 'too christain'

Why Can God Be Trusted More Than Our Heart?

He knows and understands more than our sick heart (1 John 3:20).  He knows all things (Isaiah 46:9–10). He is willing to give knowledge and wisdom to us to help us (James 1:5) through His Words he had written for us (2 Timothy 3:16).  His wisdom is perfect because it is always Good and Right (Ps 25:8) even when it seems in our heart we disagree.

Also see our article: The Joy of TRUTH

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