Lord, I Am Stuck!نموونە

Lord, Do I Have a Hard Heart?

One of the most unsettling aspects is that our hearts can become hardened without us even realizing it. Our hearts are hardened when we listen to self, the flesh, the world, and/or the devil. We must be careful and not listen to the voice of a stranger. Pain, bitterness, disobedience, willfulness, disillusionment, and selfishness (as well as many other things) can cause our hearts to grow hard.

Fear is a dastardly culprit. It is a protective mechanism, but more often it is a source of great distress and discouragement. It is insidious. It is as quiet as a stealth bomber and as treacherous. Fear is deceitful. It is our enemy, yet we see it as our protector and advisor. Fear also entraps us because we don’t like change, and we don’t like the unknown. Besides, we are accustomed to our ways . . . Hey, it’s the way we’ve always done it! We are afraid that if we start tearing down strongholds, we will be diminished, condemned, rejected, shamed, or even destroyed. The Lord already knows this fear is there. He tells us in His Word not to fear. “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe” (Mark 5:36). He wants us to trust Him to help us see what is really in our hearts, confess what He shows us, and give it all to Him. He is standing with forgiveness in His arms . . . yet we hide in fear. Underneath our fear is unbelief, an unbelief that hardens our hearts and causes us to become stuck.

How do we know if our hearts are growing hard towards the Lord? Circumstances and relationships can serve as effective tools to turn over the rocks in our hearts and reveal what lies underneath (Ps. 139:23-24). Or they can hold us back. Consider how you respond to difficult circumstances or painful relationships? If we respond to these situations in bitterness and disobedience, we are in danger of cultivating a hard heart.

We learn from this Psalm 95 that a hardened heart, if ignored and left unaddressed, can lead to serious spiritual consequences, ultimately causing us to become stuck in our journey and stagnant in our relationship with the Lord.

1. Read and pray through Psalm 95:6-11. Ask God to help you take these verses to heart.

2. Read and pray through Psalms 23, 25, and 27. May they be a balm to your hearts.