A Hardened Heart
by Diana Scothorn
I remember a time being so deeply hurt that I couldn’t bear one more calamity in my life. My answer was to close off my heart. If we separate our heart from love, we separate it from God, because He is love. The end result is a once tender heart will become hardened.
A hardened heart is a heart that’s been held captive in pain. It is a heart that has lost sight of God’s goodness and favor. It is shut so tight, that you can’t see out and no one can see in.
After the death of my brother at 29 in a car wreck, the loss of my sister at 35 due to juvenile diabetes, the loss of both parents, and a betrayal in my previous marriage, I became lost in my pain.
I loved God and continued to move forward in secret pain. I truly believed I could shut my heart and leave a small entrance for God alone to enter. This was the beginning seed of deception.
A hardened heart is…
…a deceived heart.
Satan is the master deceiver. He deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden into believing she could eat from the only tree that God had forbidden them to partake in.
Ephesians 4:18 says,“Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.”
Immediately after she was deceived her eyes were open, and both she and her husband lost their innocence. As they realized they were naked they ran from the presence of God.
A deceived heart will push God away, causing a separation from His protection, provision, and love. This is a dangerous way to live.
God wants a wide open entrance, to receive His deep love. He not only wants to be intimate, but He also wants to openly love us.
The devil will deposit a seed of pain when we are mistreated, discounted, or feel dismissed. The Word says, even when we are overlooked by others, God sees everything.
Hebrews 4:13 says, “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
1 John 3:20 tells us,” For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.”
No creature is hidden from God’s sight, we are all naked and exposed. We may have been mistreated in secret, but God will reward us in the open.
A heartened heart becomes “deaf” and “bound.” When our heart becomes hardened our “senses” become “dull”.
Eventually, a heart that was once filled with love and anticipation, will be compromised with misery and despair. It leaves you in a state of hopelessness.
An empty heart is a playground for Satan to fill with great deception. He will make you believe that tomorrow holds nothing. That is a BIG FAT LIE. This is the bipolar opposite of God’s Promise.
Jeremiah 29:11 makes it very clear. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
God’s plan is not to do evil, but to give us a filled with hope and anticipation for tomorrow. God has a life waiting for us that is abundant. He has a predestined plan to PROSPER us in every area of our life.
God will cause our minds, our finances, our health, and our relationships, as well as our influence to not only prosper but increase. When we keep our focus on God and renew our minds to His promises, He is faithful to revive-our hearts with His love.
When pain comes, cry out to God and let the tears flow. Tears that flow water our hearts and allow the love of God to continue to grow.
~Diana
Diana Scothorn published author of “Daily Dose with Diana“, has a heart for helping women succeed, with a focus on a strong, spiritual, mental, and physical core. Diana’s background in the health and fitness world began with one of the most iconic names in fitness, Richard Simons. Overseeing ladies’ health clubs for 10-plus years allowed Diana to step into a passion for marketplace ministry even before ministering the gospel in business was widely accepted.
She’s been married to her prince charming, Stewart, going on 12 years, and they enjoy spending time with their 4 kids and 8 grandchildren. Both are ordained ministers of the Gospel, serve on the board of several well-known ministries, and are also co-owners of, The Benefit Link, Inc., a marketplace ministry business, which has been number one in the field for over 25 years and is licensed in all 50 States, serving senior citizens in need of compassion, prayer, and guidance when facing the challenges of the Medicare maze.
Diana’s been featured in Society Magazine’s Successful Business Women of the Year for 2018, 2019, and 2020. As an international speaker, Diana has traveled abroad for over 10 years, along with her husband, to help support missions throughout Europe and South America, focusing on funding the Kingdom and advancing the gospel.
Connect with Diana on Instagram and Facebook, where she has “Diana’s Daily Devotionals” encouraging and inspiring women to live daily in victory.
