Approximate reading time: 3 minutes
Follow your heart.
It’s often advised, especially in Hallmark movies. Now, don’t get me wrong I have watched and enjoyed more than my share of Hallmark movies. They are relatively clean entertainment, albeit predictable. I digress.
However, reading today I was counseled that following my heart is not the ticket to successful living. No. No. following my heart will devastate not only my life but others.
Jeremiah 17:9 (CSB)9 The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it? source
Now what? If I cannot, and obviously I should not, follow my own heart, what?
How about my intellect? That’s it. I can trust my mind and follow my thinking. Right?
Genesis 6:5 (CSB)5 When the Lord saw that human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time, source
Well, scratch that idea!
Now what? What hope do I have to live a good life? What hope do you have?
Romans 3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. source
That’s us! Hell deserving sinners. Every. One. Of. Us.
Now what?
This is what!
1 John 4:10 (TLV) 10 This is love—not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atonement for our sins. source
Ephesians 2:8 (YLT) 8 for by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you — of God the gift, source
1 John 1:9 (TLV) 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. source
And now.
Ezekiel 36:26 (YLT) 26 And I have given to you a new heart, And a new spirit I give in your midst, And I have turned aside the heart of stone out of your flesh, And I have given to you a heart of flesh. source
1 John 5:20 (YLT) 20 and we have known that the Son of God is come, and hath given us a mind, that we may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ; this one is the true God and the life age-during! source
This heart. This mind. We can. We must learn and follow.
John 10:10(NLT) 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. source