“He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered”
(Proverbs 28:26 New King James Version).
One of the wrong counsels many people, including the youths, have received is to follow their hearts. This is considered one of the secrets to success in life.
This counsel is based on wrong assumptions. First, that the heart of everyone is right.
The second is that it is always full of good, and, therefore, it is capable of giving anyone direction.
This is not so. Some people have messed up their lives because they followed their hearts.
In Genesis 6:5, the Bible says the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Ecclesiastes 9:3b says truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil, and that madness is in their hearts while they live; and after that, they go to the dead.
Why should anyone be told to follow this type of heart?
He will be deceived by his heart, which is full of evil, to do wickedness. Jeremiah 17:9a says the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Thus, “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered” (Proverbs 28:26 New King James Version).
The Bible does not say that those who believe in Jesus Christ should follow their hearts. Although they are born again, their hearts are not always right or reliable.
If they follow their hearts, they may be wrong.
If they follow their hearts what becomes of the Lord Jesus, their Leader?
What becomes of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God?
Romans 8:14 says as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
The hearts of the children of God can sometimes be wrong but the Lord is always right.
Their hearts can sometimes make them sin but the Lord is ever holy and perfect.
1 John 1:8-10 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (New King James Version).
Jesus says, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man” (Mark 7:21-23 New King James Version).
Many non-believers have gone astray because they followed their hearts. Because they did not allow the King of kings in their lives, they are doing what is right in their eyes (Judges 17:6; 21:25).
Some of them keep changing their directions or pursuits, creating instability in their lives because they are following their hearts. They’re now in a state of confusion.
Some don’t even know who they are and what they want to do with their lives.
They should have followed Jesus Christ rather than follow their hearts.
They should have followed the Word of God instead of following their hearts.
The heart of a sinner tends towards evil.
Therefore, it would be wrong to counsel him to follow his heart. Unfortunately, that’s what many people have done; their sinful hearts have led them to pursue evil causes.
We find them in different life endeavours, engaging in sinful practices, which promote the kingdom of Satan. But they are following their hearts!
It is after such people have an encounter with Jesus Christ and they surrender their lives to Him that they would realize that their hearts have been deceiving them.
By then, they would have wasted some years and done so much damage to their lives. They would also have led some people astray, who saw them as their role models. Such examples abound today in the entertainment world.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25).
Sinners who follow their hearts, believing that their pursuits are right, have been deceived by Satan.
2 Corinthians 4:4 says Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News that is shining upon them.
A sinner should not be told to follow his heart. His heart is not right before God; it’s under the control of Satan. What he needs is a new heart.
God said, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26 New King James Version).
Paul was following his heart as a persecutor of the church, but he was wrong because the Lord had not taken over his heart. He was deceived to think that he was doing the right thing until God encountered him on the way to Damascus (Acts 9:1-9).
He said he was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man but he obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly in unbelief
(1 Timothy 1:13).
Paul was following his heart when he zealously persecuted the church. He thought he was being zealous for God when he persecuted the church. That’s how someone can be deceived by his heart until he comes in contact with and knows the truth that will make him free (John 8:32).
Paul actually thought he was serving the Lord. Many people following their hearts today are serving Satan!
See what Paul said: “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished”
(Acts 22:3-5 New King James Version).
Follow Jesus, the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit. Don’t follow your heart because your heart could be wrong except it is dominated and controlled by the Word of God.
When Jonathan asked his armourbearer to go with him to the garrison of the Philistines, he told him to do all that which was in his heart (1 Samuel 14:6-7).
But Jonathan had depended on the LORD to embark on that mission before talking to his armourbearer. Jonathan said, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few”
(1 Samuel 14:6b New King James Version).
The Lord can put something in your heart, but don’t put your trust in your heart. Put your trust in the Lord.
Fill your heart with the Word of God. The Bible says the words of the Lord are true words: like silver tested by fire and burned clean seven times
(Psalm 12:6).
The Word of God is settled forever in heaven. His Word is firmly fixed in the heavens (Psalm 119:89).
Don’t follow your heart if it’s not controlled by the Word of God. “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11 New King James Version).
Follow Jesus. Follow the Holy Spirit. Jesus says about the Holy Spirit that when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth (John 16:13a).
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7 New King James Version).
Jesus, You’re my Leader; I will follow You. Holy Spirit, guide me and let me not go astray. I shall follow the Word of God; I won’t do what seems right in my eyes. Father, help me to keep Your Word in my heart so that I will not sin against you.
