Listen to Your Heart, Beloved
In the natural state, the word of God says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it” (Jeremiah 17:9). So, normally, the last thing you should do is listen to your heart. “Follow your heart,” only works in the movies. What people often mean, is follow your emotions. Emotions are not rational and often get you in a lot of trouble.
As a born again believer, you have a new heart that is forever connected to the Father’s. So, listen to your heart, Beloved. In 1 John 3:20,21, it says, “And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.” This passage offers great perspective and consolation.
It bears witness to the fact that when you are going the wrong way, you can trust your Heavenly Father to convict your heart of sin. He will show you yourself; and you will not
have a “don’t care” attitude. You will stop, confess, and repent. It is a great grace to know that despite periods of ignorance, denial, anger, unforgiveness, selfishness, and a myriad of states of mind; God is greater than your heart. His Spirit will lead you in truth, make you godly sorry, and grant you grace to turn back to Him. And your Father will lovingly forgive you- every time. His goodness will lead you to repentance (Romans 2:4b).
Likewise, when your heart does not condemn you, then you have confidence towards God that you are walking the path He has for you. He will work it for your good. There are likely things you look back on and testify you would have handled them differently if you knew then, what you know now. Your consolation is, if your Father wanted you to handle those situations differently, He could have given you the wisdom and discernment to do so. But He did not. You made the best decisions you could based on where you were in your faith and did so in good conscience. This too is a great grace; to know that even if you did not do excellently, your efforts were received as a beloved child of the Father.
Either way, listen to your heart. You are, Beloved.
