| "My heart tells me to do one thing, but
my mind tells me to do another!" Sound familiar? We often have very
important decisions to make. The alternatives aren't always as clear cut as
black vs. white, or good vs. evil. Therefore which should we follow, our
hearts or our minds? The answer is, don't make a decision until both agree
and are in line with God's word. Let me explain a few points...
The Heart
Psalm 37:4 says "Delight yourselves also in the Lord, and He shall give
you the desires of your heart. I used to mistakenly believe this to mean
that if I delighted myself in God and praised Him, He would grant me what I
wanted. However what it really means is that if we delight ourselves in Him
while living according to His word, He will place within our hearts the
desires that He wants us to have, while taking away those He doesn't. These
desires pertain to every aspect of our lives, from the biggest issue to the
smallest.
The Mind
Romans 12:1 says "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is the good and
acceptable and perfect will of God." Our minds are renewed as we study,
memorize and meditate on God's word. By doing these things, we allow Him to
lead us into His will. This takes a great burden off us. We be renewed in
our minds, and God takes responsibility for helping us make those choices
that lead to His good and acceptable and perfect will. We don't have to
figure things out on our own!
Heart and Mind in Agreement
Philippians 4:6,7 says "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known
to God, and the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds through Christ
Jesus." If you have a tough decision to make, pray. If you still feel
anxious or undecided, keep praying until God's peace comes. It is at this
point that your heart and your mind will be in agreement with God's plan for
the situation. His peace will keep your heart and mind on the same
wavelength. You will not be uncertain about what to do, or which direction
to take.
I hope these points help. One last thing. In making
good decisions, never be led by your emotions. Doing things solely based on
how you feel can lead you away from God's best. Emotions whether they be
happiness, anger, or frustration, change and are temporary in that they are
easily influenced by circumstances. For example if someone does something to
hurt you and you are upset with them, you may not want to forgive them and
move on. However this contradicts God's word which says "...if your forgive
men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you
do not forgive...neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Do you
see my point? Will you allow your emotions to lead you, or will you allow
the word of God to lead you? |
