Sins of the Heart

Scripture refers to a hardening of the heart. It need not be wholesale; you can be hardened against the Holy Spirit in specific issues or areas of your life.

An important lesson we should review often is found in Galatians 5:13-26 —

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 However, if you continually bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another. 16 But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, being jealous of one another.

Can you picture what this looks like? It seems to me that it’s been quite rare anyone has portrayed this kind of temperament in movies or on TV. We get all kinds of crap that perverts this image according to any number of human secular biases. Imagine someone who is so self-secure and comfortable in their own skin that nothing gets to them. Not emotionless with steel discipline, but displaying emotions that serve as a testimony of faith.

Such people don’t stress others with dark clouds of anger and threats — even when someone does it to them. Those who are really in charge of their own souls will not panic or flare up at someone else’s stupidity. They have patience against such nonsense. If you feel your heart racing when someone else acts crazy, you aren’t there yet.

Do people dread seeing you? Does your presence set them on edge? Make sure you don’t set out to create that tension, or that you are so careless with your emotions that you contribute to the problem. Paul says your presence should radiate love, joy, peace, and patience, among other things.

You don’t get an exemption when dealing with your own household, in which you are convinced everyone delights in setting you off. Even if they do, you should not surrender your soul to their manipulations. You should be like slate. Have you ever seen a slate floor? It takes many years of heavy foot traffic to wear even a small amount from the surface. Abrasions seldom leave a mark. They cannot hurt you if you choose to be like slate.

God supplies all your needs. It’s just stuff. The things of this world are expendable, and people who abuse God’s provision are only hurting themselves. You should want to disengage and get some distance to avoid His wrath on their lives splashing onto you. If they cannot be moved by the Spirit, you want no part in their human existence.

Meanwhile, people should get to know you as someone who is affable, calm, relaxed under pressure, capable of guarding what God has given you without animosity. Love your covenant family as you love yourself. Have compassion on outsiders who are headed to Hell. Give them a taste of Heaven so they’ll know what they missed.

Keep your heart wide open to the Holy Spirit. Don’t hinder His work in you. This is spiritual warfare; this is how we keep the Enemy from controlling our lives.