A Squishy Heart

"Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." - Excerpt from Psalm 95:7-8

How hard is your heart? I know, for me, my heart is pretty rough. Maybe not solid rock, but it's pretty thick. I mean, I feel more sympathy than some people, but when it comes to God, I feel like I have a thick, rocky heart. Like, it's made of stone. Maybe not granite or some hard, unscratchable stone, but definitely some sort of limestone or a soft stone.

You're asking 'What? Matt, is this a geology lesson?' Yes. Start taking notes.

No, I'm kidding. I'm talking about our hearts. 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.' So, again, I'll ask: How hard is your heart?

When I think about my heart, I think about how soft it is for others, but how hard I make it for God. Why do I do that? Kind of silly, isn't it?

I'm about to hurt some Theologians and John Piper-lovers feelings when I say this, but God is NOT going to just attack you with his 'irresistible grace' and soften your heart. He is not going to just yank you out of your sin... unless you LET HIM. We've got to trust Jesus, we've got to rely on Jesus, and we've got to ALLOW Jesus to help us.

I'm not saying that Jesus kind of is 'there' and you're on your own - goodness, no. He WILL help you. He will be with you. He will soften your heart... if you allow him.

But, okay, Driscollites and Pied Pipers; I'm finished. :P

Anyway, okay, how do we get 'a squishy heart?'

I think he pray. We ask God to help us, but we really do have to allow him. I struggle with giving God control - I know how easy it would be to live after that, but a part of me is like 'Do I really have to give you everything God? I mean, can't I keep a little bit of Matt in there? I'm a pretty nice guy - what about just a pinch of Matt?'

My problem is... I keep my heart hard and stony from God, because I know how radical and crazy he can make it. The heart is the central point of our soul and our lives.

To find God, you must look with all your heart. To remain present to God, you must remain present to your heart. To hear his voice, you must listen with all your heart. To love him, you must love with all your heart. You cannot be the person God meant you to be, and you cannot live the life he meant you to live, unless you live from the heart."

"[The Enemy's] plan from the beginning was to assault the heart... Make them so busy, they ignore the heart. Wound them so deeply, they don't want a heart. Twist their theology, so they despise the heart. Take away their courage. Destroy their creativity. Make intimacy with God impossible for them." - John Eldredge, 'Waking the Dead.'

I pray that we all receive a squishy heart from God today. ;)

-Matt