Jeremiah 17:5,9 | Galatians 6:7-9
“Wait a minute… I thought I was supposed to trust my feelings!”
This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
who rely on human strength
and turn their hearts away from the Lord.”
(Jeremiah 17:5 NLT)
God makes it pretty clear he wants you to trust in him and not anyone else. Especially yourself.
“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is?”
(Jeremiah 17:9 NLT)
That said, maybe “Follow your heart” is not the best advice. You would do better to search for God’s will and follow that.
Think about it: people can be selfish. People can be naïve. You are a person. So what makes you any different?
You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
(Galatians 6:7b-9 NLT)
If you wake up tomorrow too tired to treat others in the way you want to be treated… push past that feeling. If someone crosses the line, sets off your temper, and makes you want to lash out at them… push past that feeling. If you do not feel like praying because it seems like God is not listening… push past it.
You will reap what you sow because God is faithful and his Word is forever alive. Amen!
Questions for Group Discussion
- Which is safer–to follow God or your feelings? Which is easier? Which is more rewarding?
- Why do people say to “follow your heart” if your ‘heart’ is not trustworthy?
- How does Galatians 6:7-10 compare to what popular media says? How would this passage appear to you if you did not believe God was real?
- What does it look like for you personally to push past your feelings? When do you have to do this?
- How does it feel to think of putting your trust in someone greater than yourself?
Pushing Past: Application
Read Jeremiah 17:5-10 and answer the following questions.
- To what kind of plant does God compare those who rely on human strength?
- To what plant does God compare those who trust in the Lord?
- After reading this passage, does it seem God gives people much power for personal growth on their own?
- Do you know anyone who might be “bothered by the heat” or “worried by long months of drought?” In what or whom are they trusting?
- How can you be like the green tree in this passage?
