Softening the Callouses

Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi.

We subscribe to a 'message of the month' from one of the ministries that we support. One of the frequent speakers on these CD's is Steve Thompson, who teaches with a prophetic edge. His messages usually show something from a viewpoint that I hadn't considered before, and consequently I go back and listen to them several times over to get the concepts.

We have a couple of messages on which he has taught on a 'calloused heart.' The application of a calloused, or hardened, heart has mostly been that of a heart hardened by sin and disobedience.

And that does, indeed, cause a hardened heart.

However, Steve's messages have been about a *different* cause for a hardened heart, and it has been pretty apparent to me that I've got to really be on guard against this one.

See, he first uses the example that one gets callouses on one's hands by using those hands to do hard work.

The heart can get calloused in the same way. Not through sin, but by reason of use. Ministry, he points out, is done through the heart...and can therefore cause callouses to form on it, which results in a hardened heart.

The solution to a hardened heart is rest; spending time apart with God; listening to Him speak and allowing Him to renew the heart.

Trouble is, that's easier said than done. And I can recognize in myself the symptoms of a calloused heart.

But I haven't been able to get away and let God soften my heart with Himself. Or maybe I haven't *made* myself get away to let God soften my heart. Because, you know, callouses are kind of protective...numbing...and I'm not sure that I don't find that, um, comfortable.

Just bein' honest. It's easier to be busy and calloused than it is to be tender and responsive.

Y'know, though, if I pay attention I realize I really don't like the way my heart feels when it's calloused. And I've been asking God to soften those callouses.

Wednesdays are Staff Prayer days at church; one of the perks of being on church staff, although these prayer meetings are open for anyone to come. I missed last week's prayer time...just worked straight through it, even though I intended to go. I was caught up in what I was doing and I wasn't watching the time. Y'know, it felt way too normal to skip prayer. Scary.

So this week I made sure I went. And this week, our pastor sat at the keyboard in the sanctuary and sang worship over us as we prayed. I saw him at the keyboard as I was walking down the hall and I suddenly had tears in my eyes -- before I even got into the sanctuary. I didn't realize how long the dry spell had been. I found a spot off by myself and just basically opened my heart to God.

And He was there to hold it and heal it and soften the callouses. How could I ever have thought that lack of communication was 'comfortable'?

Callouses are for hands and feet. Not hearts.