Deep In The Heart

Deep in the Heart

The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?

Jeremiah 17:9

How often does a young person accept a parent’s or a leader’s rules without question? Enticed by things beyond their reach, youth often experiment. During Rumspringa, Amish youth may drive cars, listen to radios, wear English dress, or talk on cell phones. For some, these choices are just the beginning, and the young people are launched into harmful activities and damaging sin.

The seeds of sin and the root of rebellion lie in everyone’s heart. The first man, Adam, had two sons. One of them humbled himself before God and offered an acceptable sacrifice. The other one believed he knew better. He offered less than his best and experienced God’s displeasure. Sin took root in Cain and led to murder. Most Amish youth don’t stray that far, but any rebellion—including ours—is a sign of an unbowed heart.

Many times we attempt to control the actions of young people. Yet even if we manage to get them to conform, that’s no indication that their hearts are submissive to God. Whenever we push against God-given boundaries, we’re adding another brick to the walls around our hearts.

Jesus said, “The hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them” (Matthew 13:15). The only conformity that brings true peace is following Christ and allowing His indwelling Holy Spirit to lead us. The only way we’ll be willing to follow any of God’s desires is to humbly bow our hearts and wills to His. As we do, we gain a better understanding of how helpless we are to change our behavior without Him. Instead of asking how much we can get away with, we need to ask how we can honor God, and make ourselves available for greater obedience.

Dear heavenly Father, I have often fought for my own way, but now I ask for the healing You promise. I’m turning to You and humbling my heart. Make Your desires my desires today.