How many times have you heard a character in a movie say that everything will be alright if the person in question just abides by the age-old advice, "Just follow your heart." And it's not just screenwriters who think and say such rubbish. Regular ole people say it all the time. Should I take this new job opportunity? "Follow your heart! It won't steer you wrong." Should I keep dating this person with anger issues? "Follow your heart, sweetie!" Should I get an iPhone? "Oh my yes! Just follow your heart!"
You can get the phrase on jewelry, plaques, posters, tattoos... you name it.
Every time we hear that phrase, my youngest daughter rapid-fires a Bible verse: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked."
That's from the King James Version of Jeremiah 17:9. Or as the Good News Version puts it: “Who can understand the human heart? There is nothing else
so deceitful; it is too sick to be
healed." Then there's another bit of wisdom from Proverbs 28:26: "Those who trust in their own hearts are fools, but those who walk wisely will be delivered."
So what should we do?
How about what Proverbs 3:5-6 says? "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; and He will make your paths straight." You don't need to place your trust in your own heart. Your heart is quite capable of leading you astray. Trust in God. He is worthy of your trust and His guidance is based on sovereign, omniscient wisdom, not on the changable wind of your feelings.
Better yet, just memorize some scripture so you can shout back (in love, of course) at the screen that is telling you to follow your heart-- "The heart is deceitfully wicked!" and follow it up with "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean NOT on your own understanding!"
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