What does having a Stony Heart mean?
Did you read the previous article on The Wayside Heart? This post is an insight into the heart of a believer who is a state better than the Wayside Heart; still not recommended. Read on, why?
Life isn’t always easy, is it? It has its share of suffering and pain as we move ahead. Good times are great, but when faced with tough times, how are we then? Some days are harder than most. Consistent hard days can really leave us discouraged or make us feel helpless.
A Stony Heart reveals a hardened heart. Hardened because of trials and temptations. The lack of soil depth for a plant makes it spring up faster and also get uprooted easier.
The first stages of the Believers walk are always interesting and fun. Like an innocent child we enjoy the love revealed in God’s Word. The more we get closer to God the more harder it gets as God proves our faith.
God chose the Israelites for Himself. They never knew Him (Romans 10:20). We read in Deuteronomy 8:3, God led for 40 years to prove them. It was originally a 11 day journey.
God proved Job to Satan and what happened? Job came out victorious.
What about the Israelites? Many hearts were hardened during trials that came their way.
Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: (Hebrews 3:8)
Eventually, what happened? Many departed from the ways of God because of unbelief.
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12)
When Jesus was preaching to His disciples; not just the twelve. Many could not accept the lifestyle He was proposing. There were disciples who found His preaching too hard to bear. They got offended and left Jesus, choosing to do their own will, back into the world.
Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. (John 6:60, 61, 66)
Does the word of God offend you? Is the Word getting too much for you to bear in an increasingly sinful world? How is your love today? Have you forgiven everyone in your life?
A little more time, and this will be all over. Hold on to your faith.
Apostle Paul encourages us;
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” 2 Corinthians 4:17
Reference verse: And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. (Mark 4:5,6, 16,17)