Trust Your Heart?

 How many times in your recent memory have you heard a statement similar to this? "Just trust your heart. It will tell you the right thing to do."  Or, "If it feels right, then it must be."

That sounds good, right? But is it? 

We can easily be drawn into believing our feelings. And I don't think we should dismiss them, but we ought to take a closer look at what we are feeling before trusting those emotions. In truth, our hearts often mislead us and can draw us into danger. Caution is a key word here. Test your emotions.

I think it wise to consider what kind of heart we are placing our trust in. Is it ...

• A broken heart?
• One that is heart sick?
• A heart whose needs are unquenchable?
• A heart that has been betrayed?
• The heart of a lost soul?
• The heart of the Godly?

We have felt these and more. The condition of one's heart has a powerful ability to impact feelings and decisions.

This topic came up in our homegroup this week and it has stayed with me. Many times I've gone along with the inclination of trusting one's heart in decision-making, believing a person can trust his heart. But, scripture doesn't say that. What it does say is shocking. 

Jeremiah 17:9 puts it this way ...

"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"

Wow! So, my heart will lie to me? And I won't be able to comprehend truth? It would seem so. 

If this is the case, then what can we do? Are we destined to be tossed to and fro, never knowing which path to follow, what our next move should be? I'm confident that our God is full of mercy and would never abandon us to perplexity. 

There is a difference between a heart that is full of the world and one that is full of the Holy Spirit. 

I found this in Matthew 12:35. It says, "A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart."

Clearly a person's spiritual condition makes a difference in what the longings of their heart may be. Scripture says that God gives us the desires of our heart, meaning that he planted those desires within us. In light of that, it seems to me believers should listen to what their heart is saying.

If only it was that easy. Of course it's not. 

Here's the issue. Even with the love of God and the filling of His Holy Spirit, we still remain human. And humans are imperfect and sinful creatures. We can't be trusted. 

So, now what? 

Dear family, we are not lost. We have many tools at our disposal to enable us to walk wisely and trust what our heart tells us. I encourage you to take your heart's desires and see if they line up with the Word of God. If not, then you need to spend more time deciding what to do with them. Take those thoughts, needs and questions to the Lord. Talk them over with Him. Seek insight and wisdom from others whom you trust. And then, make sure to listen. And never cease praying. 

God wants us to step out in faith and fulfill the desires He has given us. He wants us to be successful in all we do. But He made it clear that caution is a wise step in our walk. 

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Commissioned

 

Oh, how I love God's Word! It is a gift given to mankind. How silly we would be to not open such a precious gift. It is an inspired instruction manual that provides all we need to live.

This morning, I went to the first four verses in Psalm 139. This is what it says ...

     "O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away. You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord."

Incredible words. Inspiring message. But I must admit that it does set me back for a moment. He really knows everything ... about me? My goodness.

That could be a bit intimidating. There is no one else who knows everything. I couldn't safely tell anyone about all the dark places within my soul. With God, I'm completely exposed, unable to hide. And yet, He still loves me. And promises to stay with me. I never need to fear that He will abandon me or turn His back on me. Never. 

I went on to read from 2 Corinthians 1:21 - 22. It says something amazing. "It is God who gives us, along with you, the ability to stand firm in Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as His own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment of everything He will give us."

There is so much beauty in those words, but I will focus only on a couple of things. 

We have been living in curious and frightening times. But we do not need to be afraid. God states clearly that we possess the ability to stand firm ... if we stand in Christ. And not only that, but God has commissioned us. I find that rather incredible ... being commissioned by God.

I believe He's telling me/us that we have a duty to share the good news of Christ with the world. It's hard to imagine God, the creator of the universe, asking someone like me to do something that important. Because of Him we can do it. We can fulfill this calling as we go, as we live out our lives. So, we live out our faith as we walk through life and then open our mouths and share God's truths when the opportunity is set before us. What an honor to be called one of God's children. 

There's something more in 2 Corinthians that caught my attention. In verse 22 it says God has placed the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the FIRST INSTALLMENT of everything He will give us. Wow! Does that mean He gives me more and more of Himself? I think so. I pray we will not shut down the work of the Holy Spirit but be open to listen to what He is teaching us, even when it is something new or uncomfortable. I have no idea where the Holy Spirit will lead, but I would be heartbroken to discover that I had ignored something special that He had in store for me. How do you feel about that?

This is an exciting time. I think, we are approaching a huge moment in history. And I trust that God has equipped us to not only survive this change, whatever it is, but to thrive and introduce people to the One True God, who loves us beyond any ability to measure.

I encourage you to be excited. Spend time in God's Word. He speaks to us there. We just need to listen. Find alone time with God every day. And whenever you think of Him reach out. He loves our visits.

Love one another as God has loved us.

Grace and peace to you from God.

Bonnie