Jul 25, 2018
On Distracted Minds and Callous Hearts
The first sign that my mind is distracted and my heart is turning callous is I stop reading my Bible consistently. After that, it’s a domino effect into other areas of my life.
I find I’m less patient.
Less kind.
Less loving.
Less hopeful.
Less everything.
I really believe the enemy of our souls loves to get us distracted by good things. My wife and I moved into our new house recently — which is a good thing — but I was quickly distracted by moving and I neglected time with the Lord. And, if you’re anything like me, when I neglect that time once it can get harder and harder to get back into the habit of seeking the Lord’s presence daily.
With that said, I’m writing this from a distracted mind and a heart that has begun to turn callous. I haven’t stopped believing in God. I love Jesus and know I’m called to pastor and write. But I’ve learned I can’t fully operate in my calling when my mind is distracted and my heart isn’t in a position to receive and hear from the Lord.
Can you relate?
What do you do?
I would love to tell you when I first began to notice how distracted I was I tried to fix it right away. Nope. I brushed it off. Stayed busy. I was easily annoyed and easily provoked to anger. The signs were there and were becoming more and more noticeable.
Honestly, when I sat down to write this I began to sense a shift in my heart. Why? Well, the truth is at the same time I began writing I began to open up God’s Word. I asked God to speak to me. To open up my heart. To change my callous heart into one that reflected His love and kindness. The Bible says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12 ESV)
Is your mind distracted or your heart growing callous? Open up God’s Word.
It has the power to change your thinking and reset your heart.
It’s sharp enough to cut through a heart of stone.
It has the power to breathe life into a dead soul.
It has the power to kill distractions and realign your focus.
When distractions begin and the hardening of your heart starts to show get into God’s Word.
Our heart’s position will determine the level at which we hear God’s voice!
It’s not a matter of our physical position when wanting to hear from God…it’s a matter of our heart’s position and condition. If your heart is far from God you can’t expect to hear from God.
I found that when my heart isn’t in a good position it’s good for me to open God’s Word. Many times, for me, when my heart isn’t in a position to hear from God it’s because I’m running on emotion rather than relying on the voice of God.
The Word of God has the power to cut between soul and spirit. Our soul is made up of our mind, will and emotions. Our spirit is the core of who we are, the intuitive you, the part of you that communes with God. That’s why I love Hebrews 4:12. It reveals how God’s Word can help you cut between the two…to help you know when you’re running on emotion or hearing the voice of God!
Distraction pulls my heart out of alignment. It knocks me out of position to the point I can’t hear God clearly.
It’s then my heart begins to turn callous.
When I change my heart’s position everything changes.
Thankfully, God is gracious with His many second chances, because I know I sure need them!
– Aaron
What’s your thoughts? Share in the comments below!
Originally published at aaronhall.blog on July 25, 2018.
