The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jeremiah 17:9
Two words should never grace the lips of the saints of God, those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. These two words should never be used concerning what a saint of God is supposed to do, think, say. These two words replace the two words that ought to be said.
These two words are, “I feel”. I feel means you are following your heart which is “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.” I feel is thinking with your emotions and not with reason. The two words they replace are, “God says”.
To walk according to your feelings is for every man to do what is right in his own eyes, to glorify himself.
Judges 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Is there a King in your life?
To walk according to God’s word is to glorify God. It is not feeling God’s word, but to derive wisdom from what it says and take that wisdom to heart. There is a place for feelings but not leadership. The response to feelings should be reason. When you feel something is right or wrong it should lead you to reason correctly from the Scriptures what it is that is right or wrong and how to respond.
Ecclesiastes 8:5 Whoso keepeth the commandment (follows what God says) shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s (one who takes to heart what God says) heart discerneth both time and judgment.
To feel after the Lord is to seek what God says.
Acts 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
You should feel your need of God and what He says.
Romans 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
If you reason from the word of God, then the word will be in your heart. Your heart will be guided by what God says.
For feelings come and feelings go,
And feelings are deceiving.
My warrant is the word of God
Naught else is worth believing.
Though all my heart should feel condemned,
for want of some sweet token,
There is one greater than my heart
Whose word cannot be broken.
I’ll trust in God’s unchanging word,
Till soul and body sever;
For though all things shall pass away
His word shall stand forever.
attri. Martin Luther (1483~1546) German Reformer