I consider our hearts like a reservoir of Christ. The softer our hearts, the more porous we are to Christ and His Spirit in us. The more porous we are to Christ, the more Christ flows through us.
Pain can make our hearts impermeable. While impermeability may mean we are less susceptible to pain, impermeability of our hearts means we are less absorbent to the flow of the Spirit. Pain can cause me to focus on myself. We become so engrossed in seeking relief, in denying the pain, in being angry, in feeling sorry for ourselves, that we fail to look to Christ. And our condition worsens.
Constant communication with Christ keeps us open to Christ. Although I believe constant communication with Christ is always important, I find this communication especially important when our hearts are susceptible to being hardened. It is not that you need relief, it is that you need Christ. Constant communication with Christ means more of Christ; it means a more porous heart.
And my lack of communication with our Lord is often a symptom of my hardened heart. And our communication with our Lord is often the first to go when the going gets tough. And it is this communication with our God that we need more than anything.
During these times, my prayers have consisted of "Lord, I am hurting." It is not the prayer that matters, it is that we are praying; it is that we are calling upon our God. And by reaching out to God, our hearts are softened.
I pray you reach out to the Lord despite your pain. I pray your heart is softened.
I pray the Lord prompts us to confess the calcified areas of our hearts. Praise God that He removes the hardness in our hearts. Praise God that He can use pain to soften our hearts. I urge you to communicate with our Lord—even when you do not know where to start; even when your words are few.
"So, as the Holy Spirit says: Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness...." (Hebrews 3:7, 8 NIV).
"I cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me." (Psalm 57:2 NIV).
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18 NIV).
Allow me to introduce to you the Sexy Mexi that I stumbled upon at my favorite coffee shop. It is a latte with cayenne pepper and chocolate sprinkles on top. And it has changed my life. If a Sexy Mexi cannot start your engine in the mornings, nothing can.
Much love to you,
Paige
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