WMA: Follow Your Heart

By Judy Wallace

It was the first thing we saw as we entered the lodge we had rented for the week. The plaque was front and center, emblazoned with the words “Follow Your Heart.” My son-in-law stopped then and there to pull his daughters aside and explain, “No, we do not follow our hearts.”

Under the heading were some other little niceties — “enjoy the little things, discover your passion, be spontaneous, dream big, believe in yourself.” All had the humanistic twist that our happiness and destiny depended on us.

It may sound good, but Scripture clearly shows that the opposite is true. We must not, and cannot, believe in ourselves or follow our own hearts! Why?

Biblical Description of the Heart

• “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9 (NKJV).

• “He that hath a forward (distorted, perverted) heart findeth no good” (Prov. 17:20).

• “The foolishness of man perverteth (distorts, overthrows) his way, and his heart fretteth (is angry, rages) against the Lord” (Prov. 19:3).

• “A haughty look and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked are sin” (Prov. 21:4).

This is us in our sinful nature! This is us when we disobey the Spirit’s direction and instruction and instead willfully choose in our hearts to sin! So, what are we to do?

Biblical Instruction for The Heart

• “Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge” (Prov. 23:12).

• “Keep thy heart (guard, watch after) with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23).

• “When thou saidst, Seek ye My face, my heart said unto Thee, ‘Thy face, Lord, will I seek’” (Psalm 27:8).

• “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is fixed (firm, stable, established), trusting in the Lord. His heart is established (supported by, upheld); he shall not be afraid, until he sees his desire upon his enemies” (Psalm 112:7-8).

Such powerful words! We should apply and devote ourselves to learning from God’s Word and watch our heart diligently, for from it will come our thoughts and actions. Let the center of our being seek after God’s face so that we are established in our trust of Him. That’s the kind of heart we can and should develop.

What does this have to do with legacy? The character traits we want to see in our children and grandchildren must be developed within their hearts. The way we set our own hearts will manifest itself in actions. These actions, centered on God, will help the lesson be “caught as well as taught.”

Scriptures

• “I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8).

• “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).

• “Examine me, O Lord, and prove (test) me; try my reins and my heart” (Psalm 26:2).

• “Teach meThy way, O Lord; I will walk in Thy truth; unite my heart to fear Thy name” (Psalm 86:11).

• “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt Thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart” (Psalm 101:2).

• ^“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee” (Psalm 119:11).

• Response — Which of the above Scriptures challenges your heart? Which one would be your own request to God? Which would encourage you the most to not follow your own heart?

• Prayer: “Father, You are patient with me. My heart sometimes drifts from Your direction and instruction to my own human ways. Forgive me. Help me say with the psalmist,“With my whole heart have I sought Thee; O let me not wander from Thy commandments!” (Psalm 119:10).

— These articles are shared via the National WMA web page blog that can be accessed at nationalwma.org/blogs.