I don’t know if I’ve ever been one to just follow my heart, a common cliche line that this society loves. This Bible verse alone should make you hesitant on following that advice:
“The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?”
Lots of people just rush into decisions based on the spur of the moment. They use quotes such as “live for the moment,” “you only live once,” and “no regrets” to justify it. Well, yes, you only live once, so I would advise you not to live like an idiot or else you WILL have regrets.
I was having a conversation with my grandma the other day about love. As I’m writing my new book, one of the themes it looks at is just that, specifically in a dating relationship. Something that I notice a lot of people doing, especially kids my age, is rushing to be in a relationship with someone when they’re not ready for it. They only think they are because their brain is clouded by hormones, fuzzy feelings, and everything else. And they say it’s just part of having fun or being in love. I’m not trying to undermine being in love, but there’s a smart way to do it, too, without having to compromise your brain, something I don’t ever think you should do because the heart and what it wants is fickle.
Sometimes it’s difficult to make the right choice but always worth it in the long run. People have to think about who they fall in love with in an analytical manner—sure, doesn’t sound very romantic, but hating each other down the road ten years because you were blind to their obvious faults isn’t romantic either. Same with a job or any opportunities or activities people do. We’ve gotten so caught up into this heat of the moment mentality, and then you wonder why so many people can’t make good decisions to save their life. More thinking needs to go into it.
There of course comes a point where you can think too much. I definitely lean more on that side, being the overthinker I am. Because nothing is going to be perfect in life, so you just have to do the best you can, always consulting God for His wisdom. I just read a few chapters of Proverbs today, and that was what it talked about: the importance and value of wisdom. I can’t stand it when people degrade wisdom, especially based on age. They say that wisdom or maturity can come later, when you’re older, and that when you’re young you should just be wild and free and all that crap.
That right there shows the value of wisdom so that you can call stupid advice when you see it, which that is. Seriously? Just WAIT to learn what is right and good so that you don’t have to end the fun, that’s what they want. But God is not about ending your fun; He cares first and foremost about caring for you and making you righteous because only then will you prosper in life (Proverbs 2:7-8).
Yeah, you might have to sacrifice some things. You might have to sacrifice a fun party. Or a cute guy. Or an opportunity that comes at the wrong time.
But look at the big picture, the consequences of rushing into things without thinking. Would you rather have the fun now and have the rest of your life be hell or go through some tough periods of waiting and reap the rewards?
God is faithful, and He blesses His people for doing the right thing. So I challenge people—regardless of how young or old they are—to actually THINK about the choices you make. I hear people complain about their behavior and wanting to throw in the towel because they just can’t seem to change, and you know why that is? When you look at them, they never seem to actually stop and reflect on what they’re doing. They live by sudden urges and emotions without fear of God. That’s not how we’re intended to live, though.
Use your head first to consult God and think over the right decisions in life. Your heart can catch up—which, coincidentally, it always seems to when you make the choices that honor God. I hear people who are trying to justify sin but deep down there’s this unsettling feeling in them that they’re trying to battle in their attempts to excuse it. And I just want to say, you know what, there’s a reason it hurts. Sin should never be justified; it will always stay in your heart and hurt it in the long run, after the pleasure dissipates as quickly as it came. Coincidence? I think not.
We can’t and aren’t meant to live off of our emotions, chasing finite pleasures. Fix your mind on something greater—living for Jesus—because trust me, your heart WILL catch up (2 Corinthians 4:18).
