Is Your Heart Hardened

Now, this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles [unsaved] do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 

(Ephesians 4.17-18)

Meditation

I used to live in the darkness of my own creation. I lived in a self-centered world where I did whatever I thought would bring me happiness. Whatever that was, happiness was never the result, at least not lasting happiness. My understanding of the world was limited by my selfishness and a secular worldview of what was making everyone else happy. My struggles to find happiness were fruitless because I rarely considered anyone else or their needs in my search.

I am a Gentile but I have been lifted from that darkness and saved by the blood of Jesus. I have been set apart by God and grafted in as an heir of Abraham. The way I live is supposed to be noticeably different from unbelievers. As a believer in, and follower of Jesus Christ, I cannot live a lifestyle that includes unrepentant sin. Do I ever fail and fall into sin? Yes, almost every day, but I am remorseful and always seek his forgiveness.

There is a difference between deliberate sin and the sins we, who are saved, commit every day. All sin is destructive but if we willfully go about our lives in some kind of regular activity that scripture forbids we cannot expect God to excuse us for our transgressions. I am forgiven only when I repent and seek his forgiveness. To continually sin without any remorse or intent to repent, is foolish. For instance, if I go to a bar every Saturday night and get drunk, then go to church on Sunday, thinking I’m still a Christian, is foolish. It’s what an unbeliever would do, and we’re called to be different. If an onlooker cannot tell the difference between us and an unbeliever, we’re doing it wrong.

If you think you’re a Christian but haven’t found a way to remove unrepentant sin from your life, you’re still in darkness. He loves you and died to save you from the darkness that envelops you. Stop trying to live your life with a foot in each world. One in the Church, the other in the secular world. You will always end up on the short end of that stick. Soften your hard heart and let Jesus have control. He wants you to be the light of truth to everyone who doesn’t know about his love and the sacrifice he made for them.

Daily Prayer

Lord God, we have so much to be thankful for in what you have done and continue to do for us. Our lives were once a succession of unfulfilled attempts to find happiness or some measure of success. The only thing we always succeed at is, heartbreak and despair. As unbelievers, we wandered around throughout our lives looking for something to make us happy. We were so ignorant we didn’t realize the happiness you offer was knocking at the door to our hearts all along. You always pursue the lost with the care and love of a father for his own children. That’s because us are our loving Father. Teach us, Lord, to love like you do. Thank you, Jesus, for paying the ransom for our sins, lifting us out of the darkness we were lost in. You broke through the stony heart that beat in our chests and replaced it with one filled with love. You reached into the filth and darkness of this world from the glory of heaven and plucked us into your light. In the name of the spotless Lamb of God. Amen!