Thus says the Lord:
Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals
and make mere flesh their strength,
whose hearts turn away from the Lord.
They shall be like a shrub in the desert,
and shall not see when relief comes.
They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness,
in an uninhabited salt land.
Blessed are those who trust in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
They shall be like a tree planted by water,
sending out its roots by the stream.
It shall not fear when heat comes,
and its leaves shall stay green;
in the year of drought it is not anxious,
and it does not cease to bear fruit.
The heart is devious above all else;
it is perverse—who can understand it?
I, the Lord, test the mind
and search the heart,
to give to all according to their ways,
according to the fruit of their doings. Jeremiah 17:5-10
A Hard Truth to Swallow
When I look at the world around me—especially at those in power—it often feels like the opposite of this passage is true. Corrupt leaders thrive, wealth seems to breed arrogance, and those who prioritize their own ambitions appear to get everything they want. Meanwhile, people who genuinely try to do what’s right often struggle. The times I strive to follow Christ don’t seem to come with an immediate payoff. Instead, I find myself giving more than receiving. On the surface, Jeremiah’s words—and those of Psalm 1, which he echoes—don’t seem to reflect reality.
But maybe the problem is my definition of “blessing.” What if being blessed isn’t about an easy, abundant life? What if it’s an internal state rather than an external one?
The Illusion of Success
This passage isn’t just about wealth or power—it’s about trust. Those who trust in themselves, their wealth, or their influence rely on fleeting, unstable things. They put their confidence in human alliances, financial security, and reputation. On the outside, they look successful. But what about their internal world?
Jeremiah paints a stark picture: internally, they are like a barren shrub in the desert. They may be surrounded by people, but they have no true friends. They amass wealth but live in fear of losing it. Their status comes at the cost of deep relationships. Their successes never bring true satisfaction because they have no one to share them with. They are slaves to ambition, power, and anxiety.
A Different Kind of Strength
By contrast, those who trust in the Lord are truly blessed. How?
- Their leaves are always green.
- They do not live in fear.
- They are not anxious.
- They bear fruit even in times of drought.
Like a tree planted by water, they are rooted in something deeper. They don’t rely on unpredictable circumstances; they stay connected to the source of life itself. When hardships come, they don’t wither. Instead, they continue to grow, thrive, and provide for others.
If I build my life close to God, if I trust Him fully, I don’t have to worry about survival. I don’t have to scramble for security. I receive what I need from the ultimate source of life, and even in difficult seasons, God can use me to bring goodness to others.
Jeremiah offers us two perspectives: the life of those who trust in themselves and the life of those who trust in the Lord. On the surface, the difference isn’t always obvious. But beneath the surface, one life leads to emptiness and anxiety; the other leads to deep, lasting peace.
The Deception of the Heart
Then comes verse 9, one of the most well-known lines in Scripture:
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Other translations put it this way:
- The most cunning heart—it’s beyond help. Who can figure it out? (CEB)
- The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. (The Message)
- The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? (NLT)
It’s a stark contrast to the messages we hear every day. If you grew up on Disney movies, you’ve heard the advice a thousand times: Follow your heart. It’s a comforting idea, but Jeremiah tells us it’s the worst thing we could do.
Why Is This Here?
Why does Jeremiah follow his comparison of trust with a warning about the heart? Does our heart always lead us to trust in people instead of God? Not necessarily. Sometimes our hearts do point us toward God—but not consistently. That’s the problem.
Trusting God isn’t about following our emotions. It’s a conscious choice. We’re told to trust the Lord with all our hearts, but that means making a deliberate decision, not waiting for our hearts to lead us there. No matter how it’s translated, the message is clear: your heart isn’t reliable.
God Sees What We Cannot
The passage ends with a sobering truth: God tests our minds and searches our hearts. We can fool ourselves and others into thinking we have the right motives, but we can’t fool God. This ties into Galatians 6:7: Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
Our lives will ultimately reveal where we place our trust. If we truly trust in the Lord, it will show—not just in our words, but in how we live. Imagine if these words described someone you sought advice from:
- Deceitful
- Desperately sick
- Cunning
- Hopelessly dark
- Wicked
Would you trust them? Probably not. And yet, we trust our own hearts all the time, despite their tendency to deceive us.
Selena Gomez captured this irony in her song:
Save your advice, ’cause I won’t hear.
You might be right, but I don’t care.
There’s a million reasons why I should give you up.
But the heart wants what it wants.
How often do we make decisions based purely on what we feel in the moment? We ignore wisdom and warning signs, convincing ourselves we’ll regret missing out if we don’t follow our impulses. This is why Scripture describes the heart as deceitful—it doesn’t lead to what’s eternal.
The Real Enemy of Trust
Jeremiah isn’t just comparing those who trust in people versus those who trust in God. He’s warning us about the biggest obstacle to trusting God: our own hearts.
Trusting in the Lord means pouring ourselves into others, believing that God will pour into us. Trusting in people means chasing temporary things—wealth, status, control. I’ve come to realize the real struggle is that I have been both people. I have trusted in myself and lived in that desert, feeling empty and alone. And I have trusted in the Lord and tasted His goodness. The contrast is undeniable. Trusting in the Lord means investing in what lasts—love, hope, goodness. My heart often resists this trust, afraid of missing out, but I’ve learned that true security comes not from following my heart, but from setting my heart on the One who never fails.