Jeremiah, Week 22: To Follow or Not To Follow Your Heart

In Jeremiah 17, the Lord confronts the popular advice of “following your heart” by exposing the true nature of the human heart and the consequences of trusting in ourselves. The story of Marcus, faced with a tempting but ethically questionable job offer, sets the stage for a deeper exploration of what it means to let God, rather than our own desires, lead our decisions. The heart, as described in this passage, is not a reliable compass; it is hardened, deceitful, and prone to idolatry. Judah’s history is a sobering example: generation after generation followed their own hearts, which led them away from God and into ruin, exile, and loss of their inheritance.

The text draws a sharp contrast between two ways of living. Trusting in oneself or in human wisdom leads to a parched, empty existence—like a shrub in the desert, unable to thrive or even recognize good when it comes. In contrast, those who trust in the Lord are like trees planted by water, drawing continual sustenance and able to withstand seasons of drought. The difference is not the absence of hardship, but the presence of deep roots in God’s living water.

A central warning emerges: our hearts are not just weak, but actively deceptive. We cannot even fully know our own motives or desires, and left unchecked, our hearts will lead us to pursue things that ultimately disappoint or destroy us. Only God can search and heal the heart, and only by surrendering to Him can we find true satisfaction.

True life and satisfaction come when we dethrone self and enthrone Christ in our hearts. This is not a one-time act, but a daily choice to let God lead, to trust His wisdom over our own, and to set aside time to honor and worship Him. The Sabbath principle, while not a legalistic requirement for Christians, remains a powerful symbol: making space in our lives for God is a visible sign that He is our source, our rest, and our hope.

The call is clear: don’t simply follow your heart—let God lead it. Whether in big decisions or daily routines, trust in the Lord with all your heart, acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He will direct your path.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Following a hardened, sinful heart leads to ruin, not fulfillment. Judah’s repeated choice to follow their own desires and idols resulted in generational loss and exile, showing that the heart, left unchecked, can engrave sin so deeply that it permeates every aspect of life, even worship. The allure of following our heart often masks the destructive consequences that only become clear in hindsight. [07:50]
• 2. What you set your heart on determines the trajectory of your life. Trusting in yourself or in human wisdom leads to a dry, anxious existence, while trusting in the Lord brings continual sustenance and resilience, even in hard times. The difference is not the absence of difficulty, but the presence of a deeper source of life that only God provides. [17:05]
• 3. The heart is deceitful and cannot be trusted as a guide. Our natural inclinations are stained and incurable apart from God’s intervention, and even our best intentions can lead us astray. Only God can truly search and heal the heart, so we must continually invite Him to examine and direct our innermost desires. [25:53]
• 4. True satisfaction comes from setting the Lord on the throne of your heart. Self is the default ruler, but real life begins when we surrender control and let Christ lead. This means drawing our identity, purpose, and hope from Him, not from fleeting achievements or the approval of others. [33:34]
• 5. Honoring God with your time and worship is a practical way to let Him lead your heart. Setting aside regular time for rest and worship is not about legalism, but about visibly declaring that God is your source and priority. In a world that glorifies busyness and self-reliance, making space for God is a countercultural act of trust and surrender. [44:49]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:54] - The Story of Marcus: Wrestling with Integrity
• [03:09] - Following a Hardened Heart Leads to Ruin
• [07:09] - Sin Engraved on the Heart
• [11:06] - The Illusion of Following Your Heart
• [13:29] - Be Careful What You Set Your Heart On
• [15:38] - Trusting in the Lord vs. Trusting in Self
• [17:05] - The Tree by the Water: Resilience in God
• [24:31] - The Deceitfulness of the Heart
• [29:38] - The Heart’s Pursuit of Fleeting Things
• [32:13] - Setting the Lord on the Throne of Your Heart
• [39:20] - Let God Lead Your Heart: Honoring Him with Time
• [44:49] - The Sabbath Principle and Christian Freedom
• [51:22] - The Only Way to True Living Water
• [51:57] - Lena’s Story: Letting God Lead Her Heart
• [54:53] - Responding to God’s Call: Surrender and Trust

Bible Reading

Jeremiah 17:1-14 (NKJV) — 1 “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; With the point of a diamond it is engraved On the tablet of their heart, And on the horns of your altars,
2 While their children remember Their altars and their wooden images By the green trees on the high hills.
3 O My mountain in the field, I will give as plunder your wealth, all your treasures, And your high places of sin within all your borders.
4 And you, even yourself, Shall let go of your heritage which I gave you; And I will cause you to serve your enemies In the land which you do not know; For you have kindled a fire in My anger which shall burn forever.”
5 Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord.
6 For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited.
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.
11 “As a partridge that broods but does not hatch, So is he who gets riches, but not by right; It will leave him in the midst of his days, And at his end he will be a fool.”
12 A glorious high throne from the beginning Is the place of our sanctuary.
13 O Lord, the hope of Israel, All who forsake You shall be ashamed. “Those who depart from Me Shall be written in the earth, Because they have forsaken the Lord, The fountain of living waters.”
14 Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; Save me, and I shall be saved, For You are my praise.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) — 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Observation Questions

1. In Jeremiah 17, what does God say about the person who trusts in man or in himself? What is the imagery used to describe this kind of life? ([14:19])
2. According to Jeremiah 17:7-8, what is the difference between the person who trusts in the Lord and the one who trusts in himself? What does the “tree planted by the waters” represent? ([17:05])
3. How does Jeremiah describe the human heart in verse 9? What does he say about our ability to know our own hearts? ([24:31])
4. In the sermon, what was the significance of the Sabbath for the people of Judah, and what did it show about their relationship with God? ([44:49])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does God use such strong language (“cursed”) for those who trust in themselves or in human wisdom? What does this reveal about the consequences of self-reliance? ([13:29])
2. The sermon says the heart is “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” What are some ways our own hearts can deceive us, even when we think we have good intentions? ([25:53])
3. The “tree planted by the waters” is able to withstand drought and heat. What does this say about the source of resilience and true satisfaction in a believer’s life? ([17:05])
4. The Sabbath was described as a visible sign of trusting God as the source and provider. In what ways can setting aside time for God today serve as a similar sign of trust and surrender? ([44:49])

Application Questions

1. The sermon gave examples of people being told to “follow your heart” when making big decisions. Have you ever been in a situation where your heart wanted something, but you sensed God was leading you differently? How did you respond? ([01:38])
2. Jeremiah warns that our hearts are not just weak, but actively deceptive. Are there areas in your life where you have realized your heart was leading you away from God’s best? What helped you see the truth? ([25:53])
3. The difference between the shrub and the tree is not the absence of hardship, but the presence of deep roots in God. What are some practical ways you can “plant” yourself by God’s living water this week? ([17:05])
4. The sermon said that true satisfaction comes from “dethroning self and enthroning Christ.” What does it look like for you, personally, to let Christ lead in your daily decisions? Is there a specific area where you need to surrender control? ([33:34])
5. Honoring God with your time and worship is a practical way to let Him lead your heart. What are some habits or routines you can build into your week to make space for God, even in a busy season? ([44:49])
6. The Sabbath principle was described as a countercultural act of trust. In a world that glorifies busyness, what would it look like for you to visibly declare that God is your source and rest? ([44:49])
7. The sermon ended with a call to “let God lead your heart.” What is one decision or area of your life where you need to stop following your own desires and start seeking God’s direction? How can the group pray for you in this? ([54:53])