The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Jeremiah 17:9
Have you ever stood at a crossroads in life, feeling a strong pull in your heart to go one way, certain that it was the right choice? Maybe it was a decision about a job, a relationship, or perhaps even something trivial, like blindly picking a paint color for the bedroom walls without your wife being present (I’m sorta joking about that last one, but not really). In these moments, the world is eager to tell us, “Hey, just follow your heart!” But let me share a truth with you that I’ve painfully learned too many times over the years before finally surrendering my life to Christ:
Our hearts, as wonderful as we think they are, can sometimes lead us astray, convincing us we’re doing the right thing when we’re actually heading straight into trouble.
I remember a time when I felt absolutely sure I needed to make a big purchase – a new car that caught my eye. When I saw that car, I could see me driving down the road in that thing with every head turned my direction. It was really sharp looking. My heart was telling me, “Scott, you work hard. You deserve this car. This car will change your life!” Now my head was telling me something completely different. “Why on earth do you need that thing? The car you already have is perfectly fine and is paid for! Don’t do this! Eject, Maverick! Eject!”
But Maverick stayed in the cockpit and ended up crashing into the sea. Worst. Mistake. Ever. The truth was I couldn’t afford that car. But instead of listening to my head, I followed my heart. I had to trade that car back in not even six months later, ending up with a lesser car than the one I traded in for the dream car. All because I trusted my heart.
Our emotions can be powerful, but they’re often not trustworthy.
I’m sure you have examples in your life, too. But maybe it’s something besides a car. Maybe you’ve felt justified in holding a grudge because someone hurt you deeply. Your heart says, “You have every right to stay angry.” But that bitterness will poison your soul, pulling you away from the forgiveness God calls us to in Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Or perhaps you’ve been tempted to stretch the truth in a conversation because it felt harmless in the moment. “The reason I’m late is because traffic was really bad on my way here.” But the truth is that the traffic wasn’t really bad. In fact, there happened to be fewer drivers on the road than usual. But your prideful heart just doesn’t want to admit that you hit the snooze button too many times and it caused you to run late. These “little” lies eventually become bigger ones. But no matter their size, they all fall well short of the integrity that God desires from us.
Jeremiah knew the troubling state of man’s serious heart condition. In Jeremiah 17:9, he reminds us that nothing is more deceitful than our heart, and it’s so bad that it’s beyond cure. That’s a sobering reminder, isn’t it?
Our feelings can dress up sin as something good, making us believe we’re on the right path when we’re actually drifting further away from God’s will.
Proverbs 14:12 tells us something even more troubling: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” If we rely solely on our hearts, we risk walking a path that leads to spiritual harm.
Some will say, “Hey, didn’t God give us emotions and the ability to feel?” And that’s true also. They’re a beautiful part of how He made us. But they must be guided by His truth. When we surrender our feelings to the Lord, seeking His Word and praying for His direction, we find the wisdom to discern between the right thing and the wrong thing. David tells us in Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” That’s the guide we need, far more reliable than the shifting sands of our emotions.
Let me encourage you today. The next time your heart urges you to act, take a minute or two and pray about it. Open your Bible and ask, “Lord, what do You have to say about this?” And if you’re still unsure, talk it over with a godly friend who’ll point you to truth. Your heart may protest, wanting its own way, but God’s path will lead you to peace and righteousness.
If you’ll trust Him to lead you, you’ll find a joy that no fleeting feeling can possibly match.
Former Blackout Artist 