What Do I Deserve? Can I Trust my Heart?
by Beth Haden
Statements that deeply bother me are someone saying, “He/She didn’t deserve that,” when speaking of an unfortunate event, illness, or situation, and “Just follow your heart.” Both of those statements are dangerous for Christians to believe.
Are bad happenings to “good” people unfair? Are our hearts’ desires safe to guide us?
Many get angry at God when bad things happen. What does that accomplish? It shuts down clear communication with God, Who is our life giver and sustainer! God can cope with our questions and concerns, but blaming Him because we think something is “unfair” is never good.
What do we humans DESERVE? Let the scriptures speak to you. Romans 3:23 reads, “For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” If ALL have come short of God’s glory, what do we DESERVE?
Job 4:17 reads, “Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his maker?” Job 9:20, “If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me.”
Many other scriptures give a picture of what man really is: Psalm 14:1-3; 52:5; 94:11; 130:3; 143:3; and Genesis 6:5 & 6
Because of Adam’s choice to sin (Genesis 3:6 & 7), every human is born depraved or morally corrupted, having a ruined nature, and having a mind turned away from God. (Romans 3:23) Therefore, ALL humanity DESERVES death (separation from God) and hell (a horrendous place prepared for the devil and his angels). God’s mercy is all that keeps us from living in total misery.
Can we follow our hearts? Jeremiah 17:9 reads, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Do you want to follow a heart like that?
The TRUTH is that humanity does not DESERVE anything good and following one’s own heart will lead to destruction. How then, do we find the mercy, peace, love, and grace that our Great Creator God has in rich abundance?
The first step is believing: John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (See also Romans 10:6-11)
Then: Psalm 16:11 tells us, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are treasures for evermore.” (Read Nehemiah 8:10)
Staying clear between ourselves and God (explained in I John 1:5-10) opens us up to God’s storehouse of abundant blessings.
If you accept and believe God’s word, please don’t fall into the trap of saying, “He/She didn’t DESERVE that,” or “Just follow your heart.”
In Christ, Beth Haden
