Story Time

Hello and welcome to Story Time with Rachael. Today's story is about a beautiful girl who was outcast but lovable. She had a terrible life and wanted something she couldn't have. So, she followed her heart and chased her dreams and lived happily ever after. Sound familiar? That's the basic storyline of every fairy tale and children's story I've ever heard/read/seen. It sounds great. Inspirational. Empowering. But guess what, it's completely unbiblical.
The Bible tells us that our hearts are decietful and desperately wicked. It tells us that they are perverted by our sin and are the source of our evil desires. Our dreams are the result of selfish ambition. And wanting what we don't have to the point that we would do anything to get it is called coveteousnous and is breaking the tenth commandment.
The world we live in is full of ideas that are contrary to the Word of God, but many times we openly accept them into our lives and even encourage them in the lives of others. We need to be careful.
I am sharing this because in my life I am often tempted to follow my heart, but if I do, I usually end up hurt and confused. If I follow after God's heart, my desires become His, and I can lead my heart into true joy.
I have a dear friend who is a great example of that to me. She encourages me to continue to seek after God's heart.
Right now, my wicked heart is selfishly desiring to sleep in every morning. It desires to take advantage of the kindness of others in order to fill my stomach and my social appitite. It desires to seek after worldly success and the things that the world tells me I need.
But God's heart tells me to serve others. It tells me to go out of my way to be kind to them. It tells me to spend time alone seeking His face and learning to know Him more. It tells me to seek after the heavenly prize and crowns that I will gain for giving of myself to live for Him.
This is a constant battle. In small things and great. Many times we forget that God's heart is pure and perfect, full of plans for us. We can trust Him with our heart, and He will remove our desires and replace them with His, but we have to seek after His kingdom, and its righteousness first. Or else we will end up hurt and confused.