The Danger of Doing What Our Heart Desires

Teresa Sturek -
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” – Jeremiah 17:9

In a secular world, people are told that they should follow their heart's desires, and it is okay. For Christians, we should not do what the world does. But if we do, then maybe we do not love God like the Bible tells us to. In 1 John 2:15 it says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If you love the world, the love of the Father is not in you.”

If people desire worldly things more than God or make things an idol, it could lead them to turn away from God. It happened to Paul’s friend, Demas. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:10 that Demas, who loved this world, left him during his ministry. This could happen to anyone who follows their heart’s desires and loves the things of the world more.

The things of the world will never truly satisfy the human heart. God created the human heart to desire Him only. Sadly, the fall of the first humans in Genesis 3:6 changed the human heart towards God. Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden ate the fruit that God told them not to (Genesis 2:17). Since then, the human heart became wicked and desires evil things. There is good news for sinners, and it is that people can love and desire God. It is possible with His help. Ezekiel 36:26 explains how He does it:

“Also, I will teach you to respect me completely, and I will put a new way of thinking inside you. I will take out the stubborn hearts of stone from your bodies, and I will give you obedient hearts of flesh.”

People with a new heart that was given to them by God can turn from the deceitful things they used to desire and do what Mark 12:30 commands them to do, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.”

Prayer of the day:

Dear heavenly God,

You are the giver of good things. What You give is opposite of the world. The world brings heartache and pain. It is unlike Your great gift of eternal life. Please change our heart’s desire to follow You and want what You desire for us. We need Your help since we cannot do anything good on our own. Thank you for Your great gift of salvation and it is all possible by the blood of Jesus, Amen!