The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
—Jeremiah 17:9
“Follow your heart” is a popular phrase in today’s culture, especially when it comes to romance. People are urged to follow their hearts when making all kinds of choices, but today’s verse cautions against it. According to Jeremiah, the heart easily and constantly lies to us. Some translations call the heart “desperately wicked” as well.
This may seem harsh, but the human heart is inclined toward sin and wrong decisions. That’s why we must ask Jesus to change our hearts, not our behavior. When He convicts us of something we need to change, our first instinct is often to try modifying our behavior as much as possible. For example, if convicted of a tendency toward anger, you may make up your mind to be as peaceful and calm as possible. That’s fine, but it will likely backfire. You’ll end up bottling your emotions until you explode over a trivial matter, and the guilt cycle will begin all over again.
Throughout Jeremiah, God uses the Old Testament prophet to teach us that heart changes are better and more permanent than behavioral modifications. What’s
the difference? Behavioral changes work from the outside in and depend on human strength. Heart changes come from the inside and are dependent
on God’s strength.
Has God convicted you of something in your heart that needs to change? Today is a great day to repent, acknowledge your need and ask for help. Acknowledge that behavior changes don’t last and often leave you in worse shape than before. Then trust God to heal your heart, which will ultimately show in your actions.
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