How many of us have heard the phrase, “Follow your heart?”  Yep I have too! Especially when we have discussed a big decision with a close friend, and when they too have no idea what to tell you (when you should have talked to God about it first….we’ll come back to this issue) so they say, “follow your heart” or “go with your instinct.”   These are probably the two most common phrases that have come up at some point during the conversation.  Then, most of the time, well at least for me,  I ended up more confused than I was initially!  

So, I decided to research a list of common heart phrases that we might have all seen or heard.  Here are some. Take a few minutes to make some comparisons and/or reflect on your thoughts pertaining to what you are reading.  Are the common heart phrases based on a biblical point of view?

Common Societal Heart Phrases
-“Home is where the heart is“
-“A good head and a good heart is always a formidable combination” -Nelson Mandela
-“A woman’s heart is a deep ocean of secrets”-Gloria Stuart
-“The battle line between good and evil runs through the heart of every man“
    -Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
-“It’s from the heart” (with sincerity)
– “Don’t lose heart” (become discouraged)
-“Out of the goodness and kindness of one’s heart” (because of generosity or goodwill)

Holy Bible (AMP)
-“Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart;  Test me and know my anxious thoughts” -Psalm 139:23
–“Examine me, O Lord, and try me;  Test my heart and my mind” -Psalm 26:2
–“Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a right and steadfast spirit within me“ – Psalm 51:10
–“Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life”  -Proverbs 4:23
–“A heart full of joy and goodness makes a cheerful face, But when a heart is full of sadness the spirit is crushed” -Proverbs 15:13
–“Give me understanding [a teachable heart and the ability to learn], that I may keep Your law;  And observe it with all my heart” -Psalm 119:34
–“My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the rock and strength of my heart and my portion forever”  -Psalm 73:26

If you really look and read closely about the popular societal phrases, some of the quotes  suggest that the heart is good.   For example:

-“Home is where the heart is” (familiarity)
-“It’s from the heart” (with sincerity)
– “Don’t lose heart” (become discouraged)
-“Out of the goodness and kindness of one’s heart” (because of generosity or goodwill)

While others suggest that the heart can be good and/or bad.  For example:

-“A good head and a good heart is always a formidable combination”
-Nelson Mandela
-“A woman’s heart is a deep ocean of secrets” -Gloria Stuart
-“The battle line between good and evil runs through the heart of every man“
    -Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Now here are a few of my conclusions of what God is saying about our hearts based on scriptures listed above:

-our hearts are vulnerable (Psalm 51:10, Proverbs 4:23, Psalm 139:23, Proverbs 15:13)
-our hearts can consistently make the wrong judgement calls (Uh oh!  Did I just say that?? Psalm 73:26, Psalm 119:34)
-our hearts need to be healed (Psalm 51:10, Psalm 26:2)

What are your conclusions and thoughts based on those scriptures? What is your perspective of the heart? Feel free to connect with me at kia@onthemovebyfaith.com.   I would love to hear your thoughts, comments, and feedback on this subject!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this first post of Matters of the Heart! Please feel free to comment and don’t forget to connect with me concerning your thoughts and conclusions about this first post about the heart!

Blessings,

Kia