The Heart Can’t Be Trusted

By: Keefe Wilson

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9 (NKJV)

Years ago, I counseled a young Christian man who wanted to get married. He told me she was perfect—attractive, funny, and she made him feel important. When I asked if she was a Christian, he said no. His parents (and many others) had already warned him their relationship was moving too fast and their values were different. Deep down, he knew they were right, but his heart kept telling him, “Love will work it out.”

He ended up following his friends’ advice to “just follow your heart.” They got married, but the red flags appeared right away. He expected happiness, but their unequally yoked marriage resulted in conflict, disappointment, and heartache. Their marriage was stressful, and he was filled with regrets. Why? Because he knew he had trusted his emotions more than God.

We must recognize that one of the most dangerous messages in our culture is, “Just follow your heart.” It sounds appealing, but God's Word says otherwise. Our opening verse (Jeremiah 17:9) says our heart is so deceitful we can't trust it. Our feelings and desires will usually mislead us, but God's Word never will. No matter what the world tells us, it's never a good idea to follow our hearts... God's Word says we must always follow Him!

Unfortunately, many people make life-changing decisions based on their feelings—quitting jobs, entering relationships, moving across the country for a job—Later, they realize God wasn't leading them, it was their own emotions and desires.

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. Proverbs 14:12 (NLT)

Years later, I spoke with that young man I counseled, and I found out he's still married! Their unequally yoked marriage survived because his wife became a believer! As we talked, he admitted that he had trusted his feelings more than God. Now, he knows his heart told him what he wanted to hear, not what he needed to hear. That painful experience taught him a lesson he'd never forget: Don’t follow your heart, follow Jesus!

The human heart isn't a reliable guide. It can justify sin, make compromises, and convince us that wrong is right. It happens because our hearts are easily influenced by pride, fear, temptation, and worldly thinking. But in His mercy, God gave us a way to deal with our deceitful hearts. When we surrender our lives to Jesus, God places a new heart within us and the Holy Spirit starts removing our ungodly desires (Ezekiel 36:26).

Christ follower, always rely on the Lord's wisdom. Don't trust your feelings, Trust God!