When the Heart Rules the Head

I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.

Psalm 73:22

“Ignorant” is a word that describes the mind, so Asaph was saying, “When my heart was grieved, everything I knew and believed about God seemed to fly out of the window.” In other words, Asaph was talking to his friends in gloomy terms, as if there was no God, no help, no hope, and no future. He was senseless and ignorant. His heart ruled his head.

Maybe you have seen the film Home Alone. It’s the story of a young boy who is accidentally left at home while the rest of his family goes on a Christmas holiday. He defends the house from burglars by pouring tar in the basement, swinging pots of paint from the staircase, pulling shelves off the wall, and smashing Christmas tree decorations on the floor. It is complete chaos.

Letting your heart rule your head is like letting children run your home. The children bring life and joy to the home. It wouldn’t be the wonderful place that it is if they weren’t there. But if you let children take over, it won’t be long until there is chaos!

Your heart is like the child. Your head is like the parent. The heart brings you great joy. But it is the head that brings order to your life. When the heart is grieved, it comes to the head and says, “I’d like to run things for a while.” If the head says, “That’s fine,” and hands over control of the house, it won’t be long before chaos reigns.

This is what happened to Asaph. His heart was grieved, and he allowed his heart to rule his head. He allowed his emotions to take over. No wonder chaos reigned in his life.

Does your life seem chaotic? Are you letting your heart rule your head?