Heart-based Thinking

This is from May 9, 2006:

People often say things like follow your heart, or let your heart be your guide, but we look at ideas like that with great contempt. We think sometimes that we should be more rational, logical, and consider the things of the heart carefully and weigh them against what our minds tell us. On the contrary, I fully believe that we should step out and follow our hearts. This is a bold statement that seems to differ from what weve been taught our whole lives, but heres why I make it: throughout the Bible we find verses related to gaining control of the mind through the spirit, renewing our minds, and becoming one in spirit and mind (all are things that we must do to ourselves to tune our mind to the prompting of Christ who dwells in us, in our hearts), but the scriptures speak many times about writing the Word on our hearts and God putting His Word in our hearts that we may sin no more. Ephesians 3:17 speaks of Christ actually dwelling in our hearts through faith. Now, if Christ himself dwells in the sanctified hearts of his believers, why not trust the heart over the mind? If the Christ of our salvation is living in our hearts, and speaking in every situation, why would we listen to our self-controlled minds? Often times we associate emotions and how we feel with the heart, but I urge you to not make that connection, but to connect Godly and spiritual thoughts and emotions with that of the heart. Our emotions come from our mindset, and can be vastly altered or completely changed by how we use our minds and by the state of mind that we are in. The mind must be continually renewed and focused back on Christ daily, but the heart, the heart is given to Christ and cannot be taken from him. It may be disregarded and ignored, but it still speaks and belongs to Christ, whether we listen to its urging or not. Satan cannot speak to the heart to contaminate it, but God, through Christ speaks to us through our hearts daily to guide us according to his holy Word. I urge you yet again, listen to your heart, because Christ dwells there and desires for you to follow him, therefore, follow what your heart says and never be led astray from the pat that Christ is taking you.