Psa. 51:10 π Psa. 78:18 π Psa. 78:30-31 π Psa. 106:13 π Psa. 106:13-15 π Prov. 3:1 π Prov. 3:5 π Prov. 28:26; 2nd π Jer. 17:9 π Jer. 42:22
“He that trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely, he shall be delivered.” ( Prov. 28:26; top )
The reason that a person is a fool is that he doesn’t know his own heart. Jer. 17:9 clearly expresses the condition of the heart: “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it?” (top)
A good example of following one’s own heart is found in the book of Jeremiah, where an Israelite leader named Johanan asked Jeremiah to seek the Lord’s will for his group of Israelites. Jeremiah, after praying, told Johanan and his captains that they were not to leave and go to Egypt, but they rejected Jeremiah’s advice from the Lord and went to Egypt anyway, to be destroyed by the sword, famine and pestilence. ( Jer. 42:22; top )
“My son, forget not my law, but let your heart keep my commandments (not your own commandments).” ( Prov. 3:1; top )“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” ( Psa. 51:10; top )
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own (wisdom) understanding.” ( Prov. 3:5; top )
We are to walk wisely, which implies seeking Godly wisdom for all our decisions. The definition of wisdom is to have the fear of our Holy God directing our lives, not our own heart’s desires.
The contemporary Christian’s reply is that God will give them their heart’s desire, and He might, plus sending “leanness into their soul.” ( Psa. 106:13-15; top ) If our heart isn’t in perfect harmony with God, disaster can result.
“They tempted God in their heart by asking for meat for their lust, so God rained down flesh (quail) upon them, for He gave them their own desire.” ( Psa. 78:18 ) Hundreds and hundreds of God’s children died from food poisoning: “While their meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them and slew the fattest of them and smote down the chosen men of Israel.” ( Psa. 78:30-31; top ) Getting your own heart’s desire can be permanently terminal; it’s a luxury we cannot afford.
“He that trusts in his own heart is a fool…” ( Prov. 28:26; top )
“…They did not wait for His counsel.” ( Psa. 106:13; top )
Let us let God’s merciful, gentle, gracious, tender heart choose what is good for us. It will always be better than our hardened heart’s desire.
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