There is no doubt that the Christian life has its threats. Sometimes these threats come from outside the church. Sometimes they come from within. I heard a sermon from a pastor who admitted that he had once refused to help someone in his congregation. In his defense, he reasoned that he had experienced a similar situation in the past, and the outcome had not been positive for him and his family.
This admission struck a chord within me. It made me reflect deeply on the state of my own heart. How often do I allow past hurts, disappointments, or fears to harden my heart towards others? How often do I let my own experiences dictate my response to those in need? These questions led me to consider the challenges of keeping one’s heart soft in a world that can be so harsh and unforgiving.
As Christians, we are called to love one another as Christ loved us (John 13:34). We are called to extend grace and compassion to those around us, regardless of their past actions or our own experiences. But this can be easier said than done, especially when we have been hurt or betrayed by others in the past.
In Ezekiel 36:26, God promises to give His people a new heart and put a new spirit within them. He promises to remove the heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. This imagery of a heart of flesh is significant because it represents a heart that is soft, tender, and responsive to God’s leading. It is a heart that is open to love and compassion, even in the face of adversity.
However, despite God’s promise to give us a heart of flesh, it is still possible for us to harden our hearts through our own choices and actions. In Hebrews 3:8, the author warns us not to harden our hearts as the Israelites did in the wilderness, leading to their disobedience and eventual downfall. Instead, we are encouraged to exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of us be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13).
So how do we keep our hearts soft in a world that constantly tempts us to harden them? First and foremost, we must continually surrender our hearts to God and ask Him to soften them. We must allow His love and grace to flow through us, transforming our hearts and enabling us to love others as He loves us.
We must also guard against bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness, recognizing that these attitudes only serve to harden our hearts and hinder our relationship with God and others. Instead, we must choose to forgive as we have been forgiven, releasing others from the debts they owe us and freeing ourselves from the bondage of unforgiveness (Colossians 3:13).
Finally, we must cultivate a spirit of humility and empathy, remembering that we are all broken and in need of God’s grace. We must be willing to walk alongside others in their pain and suffering, offering a listening ear, a compassionate heart, and a helping hand.
Keeping our hearts soft in a world that can be so hard is indeed a challenge. But with God’s help and the power of His Spirit, it is possible. Let us therefore heed the warnings of Scripture and strive to maintain hearts of flesh, tender and responsive to God’s love and leading. And may we never grow weary of extending that love and grace to those around us, even when it is difficult.
Lazarevic Ministries 