We’ve All Got Heart Problems.

Insight 96 | How To Feel Your Feelings Without Them Controlling You (Pt. 3)

The greatest lie is the one we tell ourselves; of this I am convinced. 

This is made even more concerning, given we live in a world that tells us to “follow our hearts”, the greatest liar of them all. While a nice sentiment, if we’re not careful, this path, sooner or later, leads to traps we unknowingly lay for ourselves.

Cultures' messages are built on the premise that the heart will always tell you the truth and guide you in the right direction. I am convinced that it will NOT. How can I be so sure? Read On.

If you and I were to “follow our hearts”, we would spend a lot more time scrolling, binging, snacking, and watching our lives go by. It’s terrible advice that sounds trustworthy and nice.

But when we think about it for a moment longer, we all can point to examples in our lives in which we thought we had a “great idea” about something or someone, decided to rashly listen to our emotional pull, and down the line realized it maybe our insight wasn't as brilliant as we had first thought. We’re convinced, from a very young age, that somehow “we know best.”But we’re blinded and have a bias for seeing things only from our own point of view, without much consideration for the broader context. That's why we so easily see why other people's “brilliant ideas” aren't as smart as they think they are.  

But there is no need to fear, the Old Testament Prophet, Jeremiah, warned us of this very danger in chapter 17, verse nine of his account, in which it is written: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”

See, the heart's passion can blind us from purpose. And secondly, if all we’re following is ourselves, then all we can hope to ever be is just as good as who we were yesterday. Who wants to live like that? We all need something greater than ourselves to believe in. Someone greater to follow.

Furthermore, this idea is reinforced countless times in the book of Proverbs, written by the wisest man to have lived, such as in chapter twenty eight, verse twenty six, that states “Whoever trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.” and chapter fourteen verse twelve where it says “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”!

I'm not sure who convinced us we know what we’re doing, but we certainly do not. 

The good news is that, collectively, in the proper company, wisdom can be found, and the blind spots we miss can be spotted with some help. While we can easily fall prey to the lies our individual hearts tell us, a second or third reasoned and studied perspective can reveal the dangers we can’t see right in front of us.

Once more, it is Proverbs that shares this tool with us in chapter 11, verse 14, which clarifies “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” and again in chapter 20, verse 18, that proclaims that “Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.”

The key here is finding the right community, the group of people you can know and trust to help snap you out of it and bring you down to earth when needed. These are the individuals who can hear your heart's desires and love you too much to leave you to its whims. Sometimes it hurts when they call you out, but hindsight is 20/20, and time tends to prove they were onto something.

This said, perhaps you find yourself in a season of life where community is stretched and hard to come by. No worries, King Solomon has something to say about that, too, in Proverbs 20:5, he writes: “The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.”

In other words, although counseling makes this easier, you, too, have the ability to dig through the hard parts to uncover the deeper hidden gems. It's a skill we must all sharpen, but in a world pushing for us to drown in the noise, discernment is a vital life skill we must all be in constant pursuit of.

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Ultimately, it is you who chooses how to work with your Heart. And now that you know its power, you should remember that with great power comes great responsibility.  

These past three weeks have taken serious steps towards becoming emotionally skilled people. First, by growing our emotional literacy; secondly, by being gentle toward others and ourselves; and today, by identifying the culprits behind some of the greatest lies we believe and how to mitigate their danger.

Realize you cannot trust your heart. This culture's message to “follow” it is false and a direct contradiction to the Lord's call to us, to “Seek first the Kingdom of God,” We think that by pursuing our own dreams, everything we have ever wanted will come to life, but God clearly tells us that its through searching for Him that “all these things shall be added unto you.”

I often have to remind myself of this, as when I forget it, my heart starts brewing trouble, my ego gets to my head, and my pride leads me astray.

This week, with this very knowledge, check up on your heart, be careful with what it tells you, seek wise counsel to find clarity and discernment, and most importantly, yearn and seek the Lord first above all else, yes, even above your heart.

- Making The Most Of Being Curious

Daniel J. Cuesta

Sources:

The Heart & Its Deception: The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? - Jeremiah 17:9

Believing Your Own Heart Is Dangerous:

• Whoever trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.” - Proverbs 28:26

• There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. -  Proverbs 14:12

The Power of Counsel & Community: 

• Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. - Proverbs 11:14

• Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war. - Proverbs 20:18

Seek God First and Above All Else: Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. - Matthew 6:33