The hardened heart

[missmuffet]

Jesus tells us that the heart is a place for good and evil and that what comes out of the mouth-good or bad- begins in the heart Luke 6:43-45. A hardened heart can dull a person's ability to perceive and understand. Anyone's heart can be hardened, even a Christian. Unrepentant and continual sin can cause the heart to be hardened. Pride can also cause the heart to be hardened. If a person has a setback in life it can also cause a person's heart to be hardened. Repentance, the study of the word of God and being obedient to God is a remedy. 

[Not me]

13 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

Jesus tells us that the heart is a place for good and evil and that what comes out of the mouth-good or bad- begins in the heart Luke 6:43-45. A hardened heart can dull a person's ability to perceive and understand. Anyone's heart can be hardened, even a Christian. Unrepentant and continual sin can cause the heart to be hardened. Pride can also cause the heart to be hardened. If a person has a setback in life it can also cause a person's heart to be hardened. Repentance, the study of the word of God and being obedient to God is a remedy. 

Very true.....for;

Wisdom is justified by her children.

Be blessed in Him, Not me

Edited February 1, 2020 by Not me

[ReneeIW]

56 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

Repentance, the study of the word of God and being obedient to God is a remedy

In my experience God’s Grace is the remedy. 

Sometimes people are in too much pain to read and pray.That’s when you really experience God’s Grace.  

57 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

Unrepentant and continual sin can cause the heart to be hardened. Pride can also cause the heart to be hardened. If a person has a setback in life it can also cause a person's heart to be hardened

Or witnessing extreme and senseless suffering can cause a hardened heart ,such as spending time in a Children’s hospital. 

The greatest gift to my faith was when I was in a Children’s Hospital and was told my son had a terminal lung disorder and would be gone in four years. I didn’t even pray and even questioned God’s existence because  I was witnessing so much suffering. Next to my hospital room was a baby  hooked up to a machine struggling to breath and he or she was rarely visited by family. I was numb and hated life and had no faith, but suddenly my child’s prognosis changed and I left the hospital with a healthy baby, deeper faith, no fear of death anymore(because thinking your child is going to die is worse than dying yourself-I use to fear death) and more compassion, and I had done nothing to receive any of those GIFTS. God’s Grace is overwhelmingly beautiful. 

[dhchristian]

Just now, ReneeIW said:

The greatest gift to my faith was when I was in a Children’s Hospital and was told my son had a terminal lung disorder and would be gone in four years. I didn’t even pray and even questioned God’s existence because  I was witnessing so much suffering. Next to my hospital room was a baby  hooked up to a machine struggling to breath and he or she was rarely visited by family. I was numb and hated life and had no faith, but suddenly my child’s prognosis changed and I left the hospital with a healthy baby, deeper faith, no fear of death anymore(because thinking your child is going to die is worse than dying yourself-I use to fear death) and more compassion, and I had done nothing to receive any of those GIFTS. God’s Grace is overwhelmingly beautiful. 

Blessings Renee, 

You would appreciate the Hymn "lay my Isaac down" If you have not heard the song look it up. Been there Myself, with my eldest son, Got a severe Pneumonia was on Life support, Saw the monitors flatline (Nurse said it was just sensor came loose, but I know what I saw) I Laid my Isaac down then, He came out of it and is fine and healthy now. That is when God dealt with the "pride of Life" in me. 

God Bless.

Edited February 1, 2020 by dhchristian

[Neighbor]

An interesting expansion on the subject of hardened hearts along with who does the hardening may be found at https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/you-asked-does-god-harden-a-believers-heart/

[missmuffet]

1 hour ago, ReneeIW said:

In my experience God’s Grace is the remedy. 

Sometimes people are in too much pain to read and pray.That’s when you really experience God’s Grace.  

Or witnessing extreme and senseless suffering can cause a hardened heart ,such as spending time in a Children’s hospital. 

The greatest gift to my faith was when I was in a Children’s Hospital and was told my son had a terminal lung disorder and would be gone in four years. I didn’t even pray and even questioned God’s existence because  I was witnessing so much suffering. Next to my hospital room was a baby  hooked up to a machine struggling to breath and he or she was rarely visited by family. I was numb and hated life and had no faith, but suddenly my child’s prognosis changed and I left the hospital with a healthy baby, deeper faith, no fear of death anymore(because thinking your child is going to die is worse than dying yourself-I use to fear death) and more compassion, and I had done nothing to receive any of those GIFTS. God’s Grace is overwhelmingly beautiful. 

If you can just reach out to God and not even pray the Holy Spirit will take over. But doing nothing is not the solution. 

[johnthebaptist]

5 hours ago, missmuffet said:

Jesus tells us that the heart is a place for good and evil and that what comes out of the mouth-good or bad- begins in the heart Luke 6:43-45. A hardened heart can dull a person's ability to perceive and understand. Anyone's heart can be hardened, even a Christian. Unrepentant and continual sin can cause the heart to be hardened. Pride can also cause the heart to be hardened. If a person has a setback in life it can also cause a person's heart to be hardened. Repentance, the study of the word of God and being obedient to God is a remedy. 

It seems to me that there is much pride in the world, and many people obey their pride instead of God. It causes a lot of trouble.

[ReneeIW]

23 hours ago, missmuffet said:

But doing nothing is not the solution. 

Solution to what? There are times when my daughter comes home and goes straight to her room and when I don’t hear from her for a few hours, I go check on her and find out she’s hurting for whatever reason and I comfort her even though she did “nothing” to receive help from me. I’m a flawed human being and I’m there for my children whether they do something or not. How much more is our Father there for us?

Sometimes we are incapable of doing anything, but other saints are always praying for us, angels are ministering  to us, Christ is leaving the other sheep to come find us, and the Father promises never to leave us or forsake us. 

[ReneeIW]

19 hours ago, Sonshine said:

I do empathize deeply and understand. Thank you for sharing.  I have lost three babies (two at six months’ gestation).  For me, it was like I just had to read and read and read the Bible to keep going.  It was and still is like a continual “dying” and it’s only because of the Lord that I am able to press on with life.  God bless you, Renee.

Sonshine,

I don’t know how you survived losing three children. I simply cannot wrap my head around that. And to not lose faith but to cling to it even more is what every Christian hopes they will do in extraordinarily  painful  times like that, but sadly, some of us do not.

I read Jill Biden’s book(Joe Biden’s wife) and she’d had strong faith since childhood even though her parents were not people of faith. She went to church and encouraged her sisters to go with her. Decades later when her son(he was her stepson but she doesn’t call him that) died of brain cancer she said she couldn’t pray or read the Bible for two years and is still struggling with faith and praying that it returns one day.  

You are really blessed with strong faith. It’s an encouragement and inspiration and I hope mine will grow to become like yours. 

I’m sorry you had to go through all the pain that you went through. I can’t even imagine what that must have been like. I know you must look forward to seeing your three babies in heaven some day.

[Not me]

14 hours ago, Flowersun said:

I have had a hardened heart,full of pride,I will do it my way,if it kills me,....God brought me to a place of repentenance/walking in obedience.....I hated the place I was in...I was in it for a long time...I continued to walk in faith...I can't remember repenting over any of it,I never studied the word either.

 

We all have "our own" personal walk with God.....he gets his message through to us in his way,not our way....so what might suit one,does not necessarily suit another........I am now being obedient to God.....how do I know....because it's heart felt.......God is my teacher not man.........he has completely turned me around,back on his path......Praise God!.

 

God is a lot more than the Bible....we have a personal relationship with him...he is in my "heart" and I know it...so I talk to him from my heart,more than reading the Bible...

 

Psalm 51:10.  Create in me a pure heart,Oh God.

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

God talks to me,then I check it out with scripture.

Experience with God. Such words of wisdom put down on paper..

A pleasure to read, in Christ, Not me