It's often about what hinders us....living with or without a hardened heart!
During my life's journey, I've wondered what was around the bend and I'd come to a fork in the road. A decision had to be made in what direction I was to take. And like most of us, my upbringing often influenced these decisions!
What I have come to know, that has changed everything, is that I received the love I was made for, made to enjoy, by my Father, Abba Father! And, I am still receiving this love; for He is loving me now! I am loved, and loved extravagantly! In fact, we all are being loved: Father’s love pours out upon all flesh, all day, every day, by Holy Spirit! Whether we have deficits of a Mother's Love or a Father's Love, Holy Spirit pours both into us. This love accepts us, affirms us and builds us up. It has nothing to do with what we have done or not done; we cannot earn it. Father simply loves us because we are His very own; created in His image and likeness, and predestined for greatness as His children, through the acceptance of His love and His Way, made through 'the' Door,
Jesus, 'the' Beloved Son!
Anything different than that is a lie and blocks the natural growth Father intends for us. There are many who do not know this because He has been misrepresented by those who do not know Him.
The creator of the universe just happens to be our Dad and His Son, Jesus is our elder brother!
God is Our Father, our Loving Father!
Jesus, 'the' Beloved Son!
Anything different than that is a lie and blocks the natural growth Father intends for us. There are many who do not know this because He has been misrepresented by those who do not know Him.
The creator of the universe just happens to be our Dad and His Son, Jesus is our elder brother!
God is Our Father, our Loving Father!
The problem is that we were not all brought up in this reality, in a loving atmosphere; nor were our parents. One of the things we do for self-protection is to put up a wall, which closes our heart to people and situations and we shut down. And sometimes, we blame others or lie to others because it hurts too much. This starts, even at a young age, with cutting off our parents. This makes it difficult for us to receive from them and others in authority, as well as those close to us. Our heart becomes closed, calloused, stuffing the pain down inside as we avoid certain people and situations. Our hearts become as stone.
The defense mechanism to a hard heart is to close up and pretend it does not hurt. Yet some day, we explode, because we were not made to hold it in. His plan for us is to cast down our cares and burdens, giving them to Him, for He cares for us.
Because of a closed and calloused heart, from these hurts and pains, people are hindered in their relationships with one another.
The defense mechanism to a hard heart is to close up and pretend it does not hurt. Yet some day, we explode, because we were not made to hold it in. His plan for us is to cast down our cares and burdens, giving them to Him, for He cares for us.
Because of a closed and calloused heart, from these hurts and pains, people are hindered in their relationships with one another.
However, when our heart becomes numb, not only are we shutting down our heart to any bad experiences, we are also closed to receive experiences that are good!
This type of person is what some may call a 'stuffer.' This of course is not meant to label them; it is just a way to describe the action. Sometimes, it becomes difficult for them to face people and issues; and often times the much needed communication is avoided, which creates even more problems. Other characteristics of a 'stuffer' are little or no show of compassion, no display of heartfelt tears when they are going through a painful time, or even showing excitement or sounds of joy. In fact, healthy emotions are often not visible at all. There is insensitivity to the Spirit and lack of discernment as well as not recognizing God's presence. There is often a difficulty staying engaged in a conversation and hearing clearly, even from God. An insensitive heart is often one that has become closed, hardened as stone, calloused and indifferent with the hurts and pains of this world. This can cause our heart to fear and we become dull of hearing and lose our way.
When any of us push down emotions, stuffing them deep inside and hold back and harden our heart, we are unable to show any healthy emotions and concern for others around us. It is unhealthy for our physical body too; we become tired and ill.
(See the post titled: You Were Made For Love) Expressing emotions in an appropriate way and at the right time, helps to heal our heart and our brain, both spiritually and physically. When we do not take appropriate action, we are hindered in our relationships with others and with God. These actions also identify more with an orphan, rather than a son/daughter to our earthly parents and to our Heavenly Father.
The hearts of people are hardened and their ears cannot hear and they have closed their eyes. Acts 28:27
This type of person is what some may call a 'stuffer.' This of course is not meant to label them; it is just a way to describe the action. Sometimes, it becomes difficult for them to face people and issues; and often times the much needed communication is avoided, which creates even more problems. Other characteristics of a 'stuffer' are little or no show of compassion, no display of heartfelt tears when they are going through a painful time, or even showing excitement or sounds of joy. In fact, healthy emotions are often not visible at all. There is insensitivity to the Spirit and lack of discernment as well as not recognizing God's presence. There is often a difficulty staying engaged in a conversation and hearing clearly, even from God. An insensitive heart is often one that has become closed, hardened as stone, calloused and indifferent with the hurts and pains of this world. This can cause our heart to fear and we become dull of hearing and lose our way.
When any of us push down emotions, stuffing them deep inside and hold back and harden our heart, we are unable to show any healthy emotions and concern for others around us. It is unhealthy for our physical body too; we become tired and ill.
(See the post titled: You Were Made For Love) Expressing emotions in an appropriate way and at the right time, helps to heal our heart and our brain, both spiritually and physically. When we do not take appropriate action, we are hindered in our relationships with others and with God. These actions also identify more with an orphan, rather than a son/daughter to our earthly parents and to our Heavenly Father.
The hearts of people are hardened and their ears cannot hear and they have closed their eyes. Acts 28:27
In the corporate world, people with stony hearts tend to make good leaders, because they do not show emotions and they deal only with the head….not the heart. They do not allow themselves to look like they do not have it all together.
Big boys don’t cry you know...ha! And women best not show their emotions before the world! Showing emotions seem quite foolish to those who have closed their heart.
Well, Jesus made us alive and He is very much alive with emotions and He communicates His heart into our heart. He loves, laughs, cries, gets angry and shows great delight and zeal. He is moved with compassion to feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, deliver the demon possessed, heal the sick and raise the dead. And...He wants to do this through us today!
In 1 John 4:17, we are told to be just like Him, in this world!
Unless we become as a little child, we cannot process emotion properly.
Children are naturally very open with their emotions; emotions of excitement, anger, joy and other emotions. Most children have not yet experienced the hurts inflicted by people in their lives, or the feeling of abandonment, abuse and hate and etc. They are quick to forgive and to trust. To become as a little child, we must first humble our heart, opening our heart first to our Father and forgive. Jesus is acquainted with our grief and aware of all we are going through.
Father is ever present with us to help us and to guide us by the Spirit! He has given us everything for life and godliness. Father longs to be a Father to all of us!
Big boys don’t cry you know...ha! And women best not show their emotions before the world! Showing emotions seem quite foolish to those who have closed their heart.
Well, Jesus made us alive and He is very much alive with emotions and He communicates His heart into our heart. He loves, laughs, cries, gets angry and shows great delight and zeal. He is moved with compassion to feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, deliver the demon possessed, heal the sick and raise the dead. And...He wants to do this through us today!
In 1 John 4:17, we are told to be just like Him, in this world!
Unless we become as a little child, we cannot process emotion properly.
Children are naturally very open with their emotions; emotions of excitement, anger, joy and other emotions. Most children have not yet experienced the hurts inflicted by people in their lives, or the feeling of abandonment, abuse and hate and etc. They are quick to forgive and to trust. To become as a little child, we must first humble our heart, opening our heart first to our Father and forgive. Jesus is acquainted with our grief and aware of all we are going through.
Father is ever present with us to help us and to guide us by the Spirit! He has given us everything for life and godliness. Father longs to be a Father to all of us!
Once a heart is broken before God, the heart is open to receive from God, to feel again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pray this prayer, from your heart:
Father, I ask that you break my heart for what breaks your heart, that I may have a heart of compassion like You and feel again. I surrender any hurts to you. I no longer cut myself off from my parents or others and forgive them. They simply were not able to give to me what they did not have. You are my protection and You will guide me in how to communicate my feelings in a healthy way. I know you are the Father to the fatherless and I ask you to fill every empty and hurt place with Your healing presence and form in me that which is Your plan for me and for my good.
Thank you Jesus for making the way for us to be a family again! Amen!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pray this prayer, from your heart:
Father, I ask that you break my heart for what breaks your heart, that I may have a heart of compassion like You and feel again. I surrender any hurts to you. I no longer cut myself off from my parents or others and forgive them. They simply were not able to give to me what they did not have. You are my protection and You will guide me in how to communicate my feelings in a healthy way. I know you are the Father to the fatherless and I ask you to fill every empty and hurt place with Your healing presence and form in me that which is Your plan for me and for my good.
Thank you Jesus for making the way for us to be a family again! Amen!
Several scripture references for the heart and a calloused heart:
Proverbs 23:7 As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.
Proverbs 27:19 As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.
Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it.
Psalm 119:70 Isaiah 6:10, Zechariah 7:11 Their hearts are calloused and unfeeling.
Matthew 13:15 and Luke 21:34 Do not let your hearts be dulled by carousing, drunkenness, and worries of this life.
Acts 28:27 For the hearts of these people are hardened and their ears cannot hear and they have closed their eyes.
Some other related scriptures:
Matthew 18:3-4 Unless you change and become as little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever takes the lowly position of a child is the greatest.
Matthew 18:3-4 Unless you change and become as little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever takes the lowly position of a child is the greatest.
Matthew 21:12 Jesus turned over the tables in the temple.
John 1:13 Children not born of human descent, but children of God.
John 11:35-36 He wept; see how He loved them.
Romans 5:5 God's love has been poured out into our hearts through Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:30 He predestined, called and justified us.
Ephesians 1:5 He predestined us to be adopted as His own through Jesus
2 Peter 1-2 He gave us everything related for life and godliness.
1 John 4:17 As He is so are we, in this world.
(A few other scriptures that show the emotions Jesus had: Matthew 9:2, Mark 3:5. 6:56, 8:33, 10:21, Luke 7:31-35, 38,45, 19:41-44, John 4:6, 15:11, Ephesians 5:2, Hebrews 5-7)
Romans 5:5 God's love has been poured out into our hearts through Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:30 He predestined, called and justified us.
Ephesians 1:5 He predestined us to be adopted as His own through Jesus
2 Peter 1-2 He gave us everything related for life and godliness.
1 John 4:17 As He is so are we, in this world.
(A few other scriptures that show the emotions Jesus had: Matthew 9:2, Mark 3:5. 6:56, 8:33, 10:21, Luke 7:31-35, 38,45, 19:41-44, John 4:6, 15:11, Ephesians 5:2, Hebrews 5-7)
Deborah Fisher, HotPursuitMin@aol.com
No comments:
Post a Comment