Living In An Unstable World Part 2
Keep A Soft Heart
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Do you notice how easy it is to get a hard heart? God’s value system is so often in direct contrast to the values of our world.
God knows that our hearts will be pulled in directions away from Him. He also knows that when we go with that pull we will find our hearts hardening. We will become aware of a nagging sense of dissatisfaction and impatience with life and with those around us. He cautions us…
“See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3: 12 & 13).
Life Lesson: Biblical perspective on the end times
Experience It: Living in the power of the Holy Spirit
Many times we don’t even notice the hard crust that settles around our hearts.
We compromise in “little” things and think it won’t matter. Yet for the believer, there is inner frustration when we allow things into our hearts and minds that we know are in contrast to God. When we ignore that we find our heart moving toward unbelief. God calls us to be vigilant about keeping our heart soft. It’s not always easy but it is always worth it.
1) Keep tabs on sin in your life. It slows down your reflex to God.
Be sensitive to the nudging of the Holy Spirit in your life. Don’t cancel out the warning when your conscience bothers you. It’s easy to justify “small” wrong doings as we live in this world’s economy. Yet the toll it takes on a believer’s heart is simply not worth the momentary satisfaction.
2) Guard your heart against unbelief.
If you find yourself justifying wrong doing and telling yourself it’s just small or it’s justified because of someone else’s actions toward you … be careful. This path will take you down a road of unbelief. The joy and blessing comes in the obedience to the ways of God. He warns us that these compromises are deceitful and the end is a hard heart.
3) Don’t blame God in the midst of hard times.
Run to God when the storms of life come. Let His arms of comfort enfold you. Let His Spirit empower you with wisdom and help from God as you ask Him about each step in the midst of difficult days.
4) Give encouragement daily and seek it as well.
We sharpen each other’s faith as we share together.
Father God,
Keep my heart soft. Don’t let me allow sin to slow down my reflex to You. I need You in my life. Increase my faith and help me to encourage someone else today to stay firm in their faith too. Guide me and hold me close to Your heart. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Questions: What steps can you take you keep your heart soft to God’s leading? What happens in ones life that causes one’s heart to become insensitive to God’s guidance?
About the Author Gail Rodgers
Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, Praising God for Answered Prayer, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog
Sharon, continuing to pray for your daughter-in-law….Love, Donna
my daughterinlaw has hardened her hart to Gods will please pray for her
thank you gail for the devotional today. i find for myself that I need continual daily Bible study. let me re-tract that, I ‘want’ continual study in His Word. i used to find praying somewhat like having marbles in one’s mouth. i knew in my heart what i wanted to say, request, thank. but on bended knee i would get tongue-tied sometimes. that would stave me off praying for a few days although I knew that was wrong as my conscience felt it. as I learn more and more of scripture, i am feeling a slight more of a connection and am finding prayer almost a natural state. notice i said ‘almost’. fellowship and sharing such as in this forum is a privilege I feel. I try not to take anything for granted, the ability to converse in this technical manner with others who are searching, who have found, who are struggling with their faith. oh, I have found the nudging of the Holy Spirit in the past but because the conscience was already feeling the wrong direction, I knew that the Holy Spirit was right behind to remind me.
i can’t say as yet that my heart has become insensitive. but I am growing spiritually and I’d be a fool to think that this journey will be all that and then some. I need to be reminded of where I was 2 years ago but not dwell on it as it is the past. this is today. I had in fact just read this morning Mathew 6 v. 34 which says, ”Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” i found much comfort in this Scripture as my son was going back to school and I silently asked myself why I had to give him back to the world so soon. then I felt it within that my son no longer belongs to me, he belongs to the Lord God.
This devotion came at the perfect time. Great reminder to continously check myself….attitude….spirit….to see if it is of God.
Thanks Gail for the helpful check-list. How easy it is for us to develop a hard heart when we respond in a worldly way to situations. What damage it causes to our relationship with God and with others! Praying that God will continue to work in me and develop that soft heart you talk about Gail. Praying that my response to those I come in contact with today will be encouragement when I am tempted to respond with attitudes that don’t honour God. Love to you all from here. Donna