Hard Hearts

I don't know about you, but life just seems hard sometimes. Sometimes there seems to be so much hatred and hurt in the world, and people always seem to be the culprit.  

Words are said.

Words {aren't} said.

Wounds are opened.

Anger is stirred.

Promises are broken.

People let you down.

Oftentimes, it's the one's closest to us that cause us the most pain. For some reason, we just expect to be let down or hurt by others, but not those that we consider friends. Not the ones who we are vulnerable with and open up to. Not the ones who we truly trust and value opinions. Not family and friends who we love and respect. 

And I think that's why it hurts the most: we simply don't see it coming. 

In my past, it's been those who were the closest to me that hurt me the most. It was the person I thought I'd spend forever with. It was the people who raised me. It was the friends who I went to for counsel and memories. 

Each time my heart was cut a little deeper, and each time, it got a little harder. I put up walls to protect it. I didn't let people see into my real dreams and desires. I put on a happy face so no one would ask questions. I kept people at a distance and always had an exit strategy.  

I overanalysed everything that was said and done, and cut people out of my life if there was the slightest chance they could hurt me. My heart was tucked away in a box, completely protected and safe from anyone - at least I felt that way. 

Over this past year or so, I've realised that my heart was far from protected. It was slowing losing life, getting harder and harder every day, and just plain cold. 

Your heart may be protected from something or someone by keeping it hard and immune to this world. I just don't think it's protecting you from what you may think.

The Bible tells us a lot in regards to what a hardened heart brings: 

- It creates ignorance, alienation, and a lack of understanding (Eph. 4:18)

- An inability to hear, perceive, see and be healed (Matt 13:14-15)

- Leads to distress and various damages (Proverbs 28:14)

- Rebellion and testing (Hebrews 3:8)

As it turns out, hardening my heart was only leading to more heartache and trouble. 

The only thing I was protecting my heart from was what it was created to do.

Our hearts are created to FEEL things: joy, pain, heartache, happiness, love. But it can't feel any of that if we keep it in a dark little box.  

I want my heart to be a part of something. I want my heart to have understanding. I want my heart to see and perceive and hear and heal others. 

When we expose our hearts to this level of feeling, it's only natural that we will get hurt. It's only natural that others will let us down and we'll feel pain. It's natural because we live in a sinful, fallen, broken world. 

But this world needs hearts that are willing to be broken in order to bring healing.

This world needs hearts that are beating and full of life. Hearts that can understand and relate and empathise with others. We need hearts that are willing to serve, willing to be broken so that others can live. 

We need hearts that are bruised and battered and beating - not dull, cold, and hard. 

Let's make the choice to open our hearts up today. Let's decide that no matter what someone says to you or how they hurt you, you'll keep your heart out there. Not because you can endure the pain and heartache - but because that pain and heartache makes you REAL. It gives life to your body,

The world needs people who love unconditionally - who give and pour their hearts out to make sure this world sees a little bit of the radical love of Christ.

Like you, I’ve been hurt. I’ve had words spoken over me that I don’t want to ever repeat. I’ve had people manipulate situations and my thoughts. I’ve been blamed for wrongs I didn’t do. People have gone behind my back and spread lies. I’ve been lied to and let down.

There’s only one person who could ever understand the pain you and I have experienced at the hands of others – and He experienced more than we ever will.  Yet Jesus still loved to the very last moment and the final breath. Jesus put his soft, beating heart out there in all vulnerability, knowing we would crush it and hurt it.

So when people hurt you, extend grace. Be the first to apologise. Approach situations with humility. Don't expect the worst in people. Forgive 70 times 7 times. Choose to focus on the hope and potential in a person. Reconcile with those in your life.

Let your heart get bruised and tattered and worn. And let it experience joy and hope and happiness.  Above all else, let your heart feel love.