Keep your heart with all vigilance, for out of it flow the springs of life.     Proverbs 4:23 ESV

When the Bible speaks of the heart, it is referring to an all encompassing term describing our feelings, thoughts, and emotions. It’s not speaking of the organ that pumps blood through our bodies. But feelings and emotions that don’t like up with the Bible can be just as dangerous as a heart that has stopped working.

We are told in Jeremiah 17:9 that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? In Genesis 6, God saw the evil behavior of men and was grieved that He had made man in the first place. He brought the flood to wipe man off the face of the planet, but spared Noah and his immediate family. After the flood, when they got off the ark, Noah offered a sacrifice to God. Genesis 8:21 tells us that the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of the man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.” So here, God acknowledges that man’s (as well as woman’s) heart is evil from their youth.

This is why we should never follow our heart. This is why we should never live our lives according to feelings or emotions. They can’t be trusted. Instead, we should study our Bible and know where to turn to deal with whatever feelings come our way. My Bible has a section in the back called, Where to Turn. I would like to use some of these as an example of how we should view things biblically and not trust our feelings to dictate what we do.

When you are feeling blue, you can turn to Psalm 42:5 which says, “Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.”

When you are feeling angry and want to take revenge, read Romans 12:19. It says, “Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord.” Pray for God to help you to do as the Bible says in Romans 12:20 when it tells us to feed our enemy if they are hungry and give them something to drink if they are thirsty. We are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us according to Matthew 5:44. When you are angry, pray for God to remove bitterness from your heart and help you to forgive those who have wronged you. Give it over to God. Trust in Him to remove anger and bitterness. Pray for your enemies that they might be saved and become your brother or sister in Christ.

When you are feeling lonely, read Psalm 13. In this prayer, David pours his heart out to God. He speaks of how he  feels that God has turned away from him. He asks God how long his enemy will dominate him. He prays for restoration and in verses 5-6, David says, “But I have trusted in your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in Your deliverance. I will sing to the LORD because He has treated me generously.”

When you feel as though the devil is attacking you, you can turn to James 4:7 which says, “Therefore, submit to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

When you are feeling haunted by your past, turn to Colossians 1:21-22 which says, “Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds because of your evil actions. But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death to present you holy, faultless and blameless before Him-”

When you feel afraid, Psalm 27 assures us that when we trust in our LORD as the stronghold of our life, we have nothing to fear.  Psalm 91 promises God’s protection in any circumstance we may face.

I have only shared a handful of examples with you, there are many throughout the Bible. This is why it is so important that we do not neglect Bible study.

I once had a counseling client ask me if I thought the Bible had an answer for anything we may face in our lives and I quickly answered, “Yes I do.” God speaks to us through His Holy Word. You can trust God’s word, you cannot trust your heart. You should never follow your heart or let your feelings dictate your actions. Trust only in God and His inerrant, infallible, Holy Word. He won’t let you down.

Have a great day!