My church back home, The Austin Stone, is currently going through the book of Exodus. Amazingly, every sermon thus far has fit perfectly in line with what I’m experience on the race over 6,000 miles away. God is so awesome.
A few days ago, I listened to their sermon titled Hard Hearts and God’s Judgement. In this sermon, Tyler David taught from Exodus 7 and examined Pharaoh’s responses to the plagues God sent down. During this time, God had hardened Pharaoh’s heart.
So what does that mean, to have a hardened heart?
“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23
Your heart, in this context, is the very core of you’re being. It’s who you are – your thoughts, your desires, your compassions, your morals. What does it look like when all of these things are hardened? Why do we harden our hearts in the first place?
A hardened heart is stubborn. It negotiates with God when things aren’t going according to plan. It doesn’t listen to God and it definitely doesn’t trust God.
A hardened heart focuses on what it wants, rather than what God has for it.
We tend to harden our hearts when things get tough – and let me tell you, working at the refugee camp here in Greece has been extremely tough. Like, really, really tough.
I’ve seen pain, heart ache, broken bones, weak muscles, soaking children, and shivering families.
I met a woman and her father from Afghanistan who had spent 20 days walking from their home to the Turkish shore.
Their boat capsized and they were in the freezing Aegean sea for 5 minutes before anyone could come to their aid. She shared their story as I helped her into her warm, dry clothes. Her father was changing in the tent next door. While she finished getting settled, I held onto her things. Handing them back, she showed me her prayer cared and told me that Allah keeps me very happy. I smiled bigger than I had in days, and told her I would be praying for her and her father’s journey. She said ‘thank you’ once again and asked if she could hug me and my friend Kayla. We jumped at the opportunity to embrace our new friend.
That moment of befriending an Afghani woman revived me and gave me the strength to get me through the rest of my shift.
Later than night, mobs broke out, fires were spread, and people were passing out as they waited in line. Busses were unreliable and people became unsettled. They didn’t listen, and they just wanted to leave.
Some even asked to go back. Back home. Back to Turkey. Back to Syria.
When the going gets tough the tough get going…right? That’s how that goes?
The tough need to realize that it’s okay to find rest – to find comfort in the little things.
Over these past two weeks, I’ve been pulled between exhaustion, and thinking I’m too lazy, between wanting to work, and wanting to just stop and think for a second, between wanting to invest in those around me, and wanting to close myself off completely.
Looking back to the story of Exodus, we see these things in the hearts of God’s people. Did they get going when things got tough? At first, yeah, but as soon as things seemed unsure, they wanted to turn around and go back just like the refugees. Because with the unknown comes fear. Fear or uncertainty. Fear of discomfort. Fear of failure.
What should this tell you? Does this make you weak? Absolutely not.
This just shows that you need to rely on God always. Most of the time, we feel the need to be tough. That when things get hard, we need to push through, keep moving, get going.
Find rest in the arms of your Father.
You know that saying “He never gives you anything you can’t handle”? Well sometimes that’s really hard to believe. And that’s okay, but just remember that He’s got you.
Breathe.
And let His embrace bring you everlasting comfort.
“If you have heard His voice, do not harden your heart.” Hebrews 4:7
Pray for Him to soften your heart. Live through your compassion.
Don’t harden your heart, because you just might miss something.
Can you imagine if I had approached that woman with a hardened heart? I probably would have just tossed her some jeans and a coat, not worried about the size, and sent her on her way. Instead, I have a new friend I can pray for. I have someone with whom I can rejoice when God gets her to Northern Europe safely. And for that, I am eternally grateful.
“Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your Kingdom’s cause
As I walk from nothing to eternity”
All my love,
Aubrey
