"The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."
Genesis 6:5
People often advise others to follow their hearts. They say to do what feels right and to find their own inner voice. This advice may sound wise, but the Scriptures offer a different perspective.
I remember hearing the story of Woody Allen, who broke up with his girlfriend over his relationship with her daughter, who was 34 years younger than him. His answer to the scandal was, “The heart wants what it wants.” I’m sure pedophiles and adulterers could give a similar answer. To take it to the next level, I’m sure Hitler’s heart very much desired great power and control.
The truth is that it is easy to follow your heart. That’s basically an excuse to do what you really want, and ever since the fall, people have proven again and again the words of Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” We are born with a sinful nature. Nobody ever has to teach a person to do bad. It comes naturally to all of us. Every one of us has desires that, if followed, would wreck our lives, ranging from wanting to give in to anger or self pity to wanting to get high again.
Instead of following your heart, the Bible exhorts us to follow God and His Word. This is a much more difficult task (In my experience, doing something that is more difficult has almost always proven to be more worthwhile in the long run). In fact, this task is impossible for us. Just think of the greatest commandment: to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, and mind. I am quite sure I have never fully followed this command.
In the sixth chapter of Genesis, God decides to flood the world. The reason was that the world was full of monsters, and it broke God’s heart to see His creation so far gone. After the flood, the Bible tells us that the intention of man’s heart is still evil from from his youth (Gen 8:21). However, God promises to never flood the Earth again. Although every single one of us has fallen short of God’s perfect standard and deserves destruction, God sent His Son to die on a cross and pay that punishment for all who believe in him, so that they shall not perish but have everlasting life.
written by Casey Hust