Why ‘Just follow your heart’ is inadequate although inspiring
By Dean Collins
Whoever first said, “Just follow your heart” may have simply been trying to give some career advice and was suggesting that we should pursue the things we are passionate about. Choosing a career in an area where you have no interest would likely lead to a path without much satisfaction. However, after reading Jeremiah and Proverbs, we can see that letting our hearts guide us might also lead us to a dead end.
Deceitful heart
Jeremiah’s word from the Lord to the people of Judah included this warning: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” If that’s the case, then making decisions based on the heart alone could be a real problem! Jeremiah continued that the Lord searches the heart and tests the mind, to give every person according to their ways, according to the fruit of our deeds.
In reading the opening sentences of Proverbs 16, we learn that the plans of the heart belong to man. The suggestion is that as image bearers of God, we have been given the ability to think, reason, and make plans. Whether we are writing it down or not, every day we make plans for the day, the near future, and even long-range plans. We do this for our relationships, our work, our ministry, our money, our retirement, and on and on. Some people do this in great detail and others less so, but according to the wise king of Proverbs, we have the freedom and there is even divine expectation that we make plans.
But if Jeremiah’s word from God is correct, and we should assume it is, then the problem we have is that our hearts are deceitful and sick, which unfortunately will lead to significant errors and inappropriate motives in our planning.
It seems that Solomon agrees with Jeremiah. In the first thoughts of Proverbs 16, we also read that we tend to see our plans as pure and good. We tend to be able to justify our plans so that we think we are doing good and righteous even when we are not.
Wicked plans
Proverbs 6 tells us seven things are an abomination to the Lord. One of the seven is, “a heart that devises wicked plans” In our defense, I suspect we rarely think we are making any wicked plans. My guess is that no one reading this today is hatching a plot to rob a bank, commit murder, or bring physical or even emotional harm to anyone today. But since we have a hard time evaluating our own motives, what are we to do in order to avoid making plans that are not self-serving or bringing harm to others?
Ezekiel weighs in on this topic in chapter 36 of his book: “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.“
A new heart
This is very good news! Having been gifted with a new heart and having God’s Spirit in us to guide our walk of obedience can certainly create the possibility, even probability, of being aligned with God whom Solomon said will “establish our plans” after weighing our spirit and our motives.
Even with the gift of a new heart and the Holy Spirit guiding us, we will still need to focus on our daily search of God’s Word accompanied by quiet times of prayer and meditation to keep us from bending our plans to selfish gains.
Lord, we confess our blindness in evaluating our own hearts. Search us and know us, Lord, and teach us your ways. Thank you for the gift of a new heart. Thank you for your Holy Spirit who guides us in all truth. We commit our work to you, O Lord, and ask you to establish your perfect plans for us today and every day. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your time with God’s Word
Proverbs 16:1-3, 9; 6:16-19; Jeremiah 17:9-10; 1 Samuel 16:7; Proverbs 3:5; Ezekiel 36:26-28 ESV
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