Leading your Heart-The Love Dare

What is the Heart???
Your IDENTITY. Your heart is the most important part of who you are. It is the center of your being, where the "real you" resides. "The heart of man reflects man" (prov 27:19) As a person "thinks in his heart, so he is" (Prov 23:7)
Your CENTER. Since your physical heart is the center of your body and sends life-giving blood out to every cell, the word "heart" has been used for centuries to describe the core starting place of all your thoughts, beliefs, values, motives, and convictions.
Your HEADQUARTERS. Your heart is the Pentagon of your operations. As a result, every area of your life is impacted by the direction of your heart.

What's wrong with following my heart? It's FOOLISH. The world says "Follow your Heart!" This is the philosophy of new age gurus, self-help seminars, and romantic pop songs. Because it sounds romantic and noble, it sells millions of records and books. The problem is that following your heart usually means chasing after whatever feels right at the moment whether or not it actually is right. The bible says"He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks wisely will be delivered." (Prov. 28:26)
It's UNRELIABLE. People forget that feelings and emotions are shallow, fickle, and unreliable. They can fluctuate depending upon the circumstances. What feels right in the height of sweet emotion often feels like a sour mistake a few years later. This selfish philosophy is also the source of countless divorces. It leads many to excuse themselves from their lifelong commitments because they no longer "feel in love."
It's CORRUPT. The truth is our hearts are basically selfish and sinful. The bible says, "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jer 17:9) Jesus said, "Out of our heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication's, thefts, false witness, slanders" (Matt 15:19) Unless our hearts are genuinely changed by GOD, they will continue to choose wrong things.

Should I ever follow my heart??
King Solomon said "A wise man's heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man's heart directs him towards the left." (Eccles 10:2) Just as your heart can direct you toward hatred, lust, and violence, it can also be driven by love, truth, and kindness. As you walk with GOD, He will put dreams in your heart that HE wants to fulfill in your life. He will also put skills and abilities in your heart that He wants to develop for His glory (Exodus 35:30-35) He will give you the desire to give (2Cor 9:7) and to worship (Eph 5:19) As you put GOD first, He will step in and fulfill the good desires of your heart. The bible says, "Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart" (psalm 37:4) But the only time you can feel good about following your heart is when you know your heart is intent on serving and pleasing GOD!

Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for all the times that I chose to follow my heart. I did it all out of my own selfishness. I know that some of the choices I have made in the past have been a direct result from following my heart. Thank you, for even in those bad choices, you have delivered me out of such horrible circumstances. Thank you for being so patient with me as I daily try to serve and please you. As you put dreams in my heart, help me to have discernment to know the ones that are from you and not my enemy. Continue to do the work in me that enables me to give and worship. And ALWAYS, ALWAYS reveal to me the true nature of my heart in everything I do and everything I say-Amen