He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
but he who walks wisely will be delivered.

Proverbs 28:26

This principle from God certainly contradicts the current views of modern culture. And though the world thinks they are being so clever with all their colorful and passionate pleas to “Follow your own heart”; the idea is not new at all. It is as old, well almost, as old as time itself!

Genesis 3:6>Eve believed in her own heart to trust the serpent’s lying lips rather than God’s instructions. And her husband, Adam, trusted his own heart to believe his wife rather than his Creator’s directive. Maybe God only meant “Do not eat…” as a suggestion, not a command.

Genesis 4:1-26>Cain believed he had rights! He had the right to choose, from his heart, what offering he would bring to the LORD. He had a right, from his heart, to blame his brother, Abel, for stealing the affections of God from him even though God took the time to explain fully why He did not regard Cain’s offering. And God explained to Cain that God had fully instructed him on this matter. Cain believed he had the right, in his heart, to run from the responsibility of his murder and to argue with God when he was confronted by God. And Cain believed, in his heart, that he had the right to live a long and rich life in spite of his deceitful and murderous heart. 

Genesis 6:1-7:12>The people of Noah’s day believed in their own hearts that they had a right to do whatever they pleased whenever they pleased and to whomever they pleased. (Genesis 6:5) These people believed in their hearts that for 120 years they could mock Noah and his family. More foolishly, they believed, in their hearts, that they could mock God without consequence; that is, until it rained.

This list of people who followed their own hearts instead of obeying God’s Words goes on and on in the Bible. Some may surprise you. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob followed their own hearts’ solutions with disastrous consequences. Moses, in his anger, smote a rock instead of speaking to it and for that disobedience was not permitted to enter The Promise Land. Many of the Judges really struggled with consistent obedience to God’s instructions. King Saul followed his own heart way too often and lost a kingdom. King David and his son, our author, King Solomon also followed their own hearts more than following wisdom, mostly where women were concerned, and it led eventually to the divided kingdoms and absolutely terrible and evil rulers for Israel and Judah. 

It simply does not benefit us or anyone else within our circles when we choose to follow our own hearts when it conflicts with The Truth given to us in the Bible or when our hearts and The Holy Spirit do not agree on a course of thought, words or actions. We must learn to listen to the God’s promptings through the Holy Spirit. Of course, God’s mercy and grace are abundant and His patience with us is longsuffering. But, far better to heed God in the first place than to face our Lord with our disobedience.

Far better for us to learn from Cain than to be like-minded as he with him.

Genesis 4:6-7

Then the LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.’