The hardened heart
BY Argie Simonis
Have you ever thought of giving the definition of a hard heart? The dictionary defines hardened as cold, insensitive, unfeeling, and unyielding. Do you relate yourself to the fact that there are certain areas of your life where you have a hard heart towards God?
I used to think that a hard hearted person is someone that hates God or is in rebelion to Him. Well, the Lord showed me that my thinking was quite far from the truth. It is really awesome to read the story of Jesus walking on water to aproach His deciples in Mark 6:45-52. Wouldn't you be amazed if you saw Jesus right in front of your eyes walking on water? The deciples had the same reaction:
"They were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered." (Mark 6:51)
It surely sounds natural for someone to be amazed in front of such a miracle, but lets continue reading:
"For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened" (Mark 6:52)
I believe there is a right time for hardening our heart in avoiding negative influence, but we have to be carefull not to turn against us what God meant to be good in the first place.
You can see a very good example by reading the book of Exodus. Pharaoh refused to allow the people of Israel to leave from Egypt as God had commanded. It is mentioned 15 times that his heart was hardened. This explains his stubbornness and persistence in resisting God, when it was so evident he was no match for Him.
When people are hardhearted toward God, it’s like they are spiritually blind and deaf.They just can’t see spiritual truth or hear the Lord speak to them. And they can’t remember. Not remembering is a major indication of the condition of their hearts:
"And when Jesus knew it, he said to them, Why reason you, because you have no bread? perceive you not yet, neither understand? have you your heart yet hardened?
Having eyes, see you not? and having ears, hear you not? and do you not remember?" (Μark 8:17-18)
Some of you may say that it takes photographic memory to be able to remember all these Bible verses, but I am sure that all of my football-fan friends out there know all the latest drafts in Bayern, Real, or Liverpool, scores and top scorers of the last 5 years games! Isn't that right?
"For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened"
That's what happened with the deciples. Jesus has fed at least 15.000 people with five small loaves of bread and two small fish. Wow! They have witnessed a great miracle and instead of keeping their minds on that miracle, they were shocked and amazed to see Jesus walking on the water.
Notice that Mark 6:45 makes special mention of the fact that Jesus "constrained" His disciples to get into the boat and go to the other side. In other words, He forced them to get into the boat. I assume the reason for this was that the deciples were able to read the weather since they were fishermen, so they saw the storm coming and they didn't want to go. But they chose to obey the Master, which makes Jesus responsible for what happened to them.
If they had focused to that spiritual truth instead of their worldly way of thinking, they wouldn't have been surpised seeing Jesus walking on the water; they would have expected it!
That feels just like a slap in the face, doesn't it?
According to this scripture, being shocked, amazed, or surprised at a miracle was an indication of a hard heart!
In other words, relating to the natural more than the supernatural is an indication of a hard heart.According to this scripture, being shocked, amazed, or surprised at a miracle was an indication of a hard heart!
Having eyes, see you not? and having ears, hear you not? and do you not remember?" (Μark 8:17-18)
I believe that whatever you consider, (study, examine, meditate, focus) your heart becomes softened toward. That’s what Mark 6:52 reveals:
The reason that their hearts where hardened was not sin. It was their focus on other things rather that the miracle Jesus performed. They were occupied with trying to save their live in the midst of the storm. That was not sin.
Now, let me clear something out. I would like to have some worldly knowledge if it was for me to go sailing. And if I ride with you in a car I don't want you to drive by faith. I want you to have your eyes open and your brain working. That's not wrong. But if you get into a situation where this worldly knowledge won't be able to save your life, you must go beyond the natural and start moving in the supernatural. God has not created us to be limited into the natural realm.
Notice that Mark 6:45 makes special mention of the fact that Jesus "constrained" His disciples to get into the boat and go to the other side. In other words, He forced them to get into the boat. I assume the reason for this was that the deciples were able to read the weather since they were fishermen, so they saw the storm coming and they didn't want to go. But they chose to obey the Master, which makes Jesus responsible for what happened to them.
If they had focused to that spiritual truth instead of their worldly way of thinking, they wouldn't have been surpised seeing Jesus walking on the water; they would have expected it!
Likewise, if we were not dominated by focusing in the natural, the supernatural would be a norm to us! We should expect to see the supernatural power of God manifesting in our daily life! If you really want to experience this, you can reverse the process and use it to become hardened against the devil. You are the one to decide what your heart accepts or rejects.
Control your thoughts and you will control your actions!
Amen?
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