Author Darlene J. Conard

Slowly sipping the steaming cup of coffee, I once again reviewed over the past few weeks. “Where did I go wrong? Where?” Pausing my conversation with God with a sigh I took another careful drink. I feel like I’m treating this like sorting through a pile of unmatched socks, I thought. Truly I was, except not with the word of God.

Past hurts, mistakes and hopelessness began accumulating slowly and cunningly pressing against my soft compassionate Christian characteristics. I certainly didn’t want to be that way. The Lord began speaking to my spirit. “Don’t let your heart grow callused.” I envisioned soft feet walking bare on a dusty rough road. Over time the soft skin began toughening, callus.

Calluses are caused by walking barefooted or loose shoes. Okay here we go! I understood. Our spiritual shoes are necessary, no if’s and’s or but’s about it!

Calluses are formed by the skin to protect itself from harm.  After a while our hearts can grow callused. Yes, the Bible says our hearts can be deceiving and wicked who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9) It also says, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” Ezekiel 36:26 KJV

 Acts 28:27 entails the diverse effect of a hardened heart. “For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”

The Holman Bible Version translates Acts 28:27 to this, “For the hearts of these people have grown callous, their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; (otherwise), they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and be converted, and I would heal them.” Again, calluses are formed by the skin to protect itself. It’s not a good thing. It’s painful.

Hardened hearts work like a fort denying God access. Deaf ears, spiritual ears, and choosing not to see the truth is a deception.

I understand that being so transparent puts me in a line of fire for criticism; however, Paul didn’t hide his weaknesses, so why should I?

 Colossians 2:11-14 speaks of circumcision of the heart not made by physical hands, but through the word of God.

Life’s dusty, rocky road can wear and tear at our peace overtime. Ephesians 6:15 instructs us to shod and prep our spiritual feet with the gospel of peace. It’s not possible to put on the gospel of peace loosely and not get hurt. Doing so we believe Him for what He promises to do.

I encourage you to seek the Lord and ask Him to filter out all negative implications.

Beloved, soften once again as you did when you first believed.

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