"Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble"
Proverbs 28:14
Proverbs 28:14
Why is it that some people can go through life's dark valleys and never lose their faith in God, while others turn their backs on God at the first sign of hardship? It’s the same reason some people can run a marathon, while others can’t climb a flight of stairs without stopping to catch their breath. It all depends on the condition they’re in. A marathon runner doesn’t start out as a marathon runner. She works her way training her body little by little until she can endure the grueling intensity of a twenty-six-mile race. If she tried to run the race with no training, her body wouldn’t know how to handle it, and it would shut down. The reason some people can trust God when big problems come is that they’ve been trusting him all along in the little things. They’ve conditioned their hearts by spending regular time with God. They’ve watched him at work all around them, and they’ve listened to his voice, even when there was no crisis. Others may have gradually turned away from God, possibly without even realizing it. They found it more comfortably to stay in bed than to get up and spend time with God. Their non-believing friends ridiculed them for their involvement with Christians, so they gradually pulled out of church. Before they knew it, their hearts were no longer sensitive to God’s leading, and they no longer heard his voice. When a crisis hit, they found themselves alone and in trouble. Take an honest look at your own heart’s condition. Is your heart tender toward God, or are you pulling away from him? If you sense cynicism creeping into your life, spend some quality time meditating on God’s Word. Read the Bible. And pray that God will soften your heart so you can stay with him for the whole race.
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