Our Heart Muscles

January 3, 2023
 
Rev. Craig Groeschel
Life Church
 
And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh
-Ezekiel 11:19

If I’ve learned one thing from working out, it’s what happens when I stop for a while. Usually because of injury, and sometimes when my schedule gets too busy, I’m forced to skip the gym. But I can always tell the difference when I return.

Without exercise, our muscles atrophy. They become weaker and get stiffer at the same time. Without the benefit of regular exercise, our muscles deteriorate until they can no longer support us or perform the regular functions they once maintained. To be healthy, we must keep moving, stimulating our muscles in order for them to grow stronger.

Our heart muscles work the same way, both literally and figuratively. When we’re not praying, giving, serving, and loving on a daily basis, it becomes harder and harder to feel connected to God, to relate to other people, and to feel the joy that comes from serving them.

Stone hearts don’t harden overnight. They gradually atrophy until we find ourselves with a heart as cold as granite. Regular exercise allows us to love more deeply and serve more humbly. It keeps our hearts tender and compassionate, alive and grateful.

Pray: Dear Lord, I want my heart to be alive and tender, not hard and cold. Even when it’s painful, help me to be sensitive to the needs of others.