Chipping away at my heart...

Mark 6:52 "They were greatly astonished for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened."

Each year my three brothers and I look forward to the last weekend in April.  It's Opening Day for trout fishing in the Sierras!  We drive to Bishop on Friday afternoon and get up early on Saturday, ready for an adventure.  Rather than fishing the overcrowded "low land" lakes, we drive up the mountain to Sabrina Lake (elevation: 9,136'), which almost always is covered with at least a foot of ice.  We use an auger to bore 6"diameter holes in the ice.  Once we break through, the water is cold, fresh, clear, and teeming with hungry Rainbow Trout just waiting for our worms.

Jesus' disciples had hearts that were just as hard as the Lake Sabrina ice.  Not hardened against God, like Pharoah, but insensitive, calloused to spiritual realities.  They were clueless as to Jesus' real identity and purpose.  They had just watched Him use a little boy's sack lunch to feed ten thousand people.  You would think that would prepare them for miracles to come, but it didn't.  They just didn't get it!  So when Jesus came to them later that stormy night walking on the water, and when He instantly stopped the gale-force winds, they were totally blown away.

It occurs to me that God is continually having to chip away at the hard places in my heart, places that I don't even realize exist.  I think my heart is soft and pliable, but He knows differently.  God keeps revealing new facets of Himself and in so doing, He breaks through another section of "ice", and my faith increases.  I get to know Him better.  It's a process that will last a lifetime.  It's called sanctification.  It's becoming conformed to the image of Christ.  The more pliable my heart, the more usable I am to the Holy Spirit.

Lord, please "tenderize" my heart today.  Let me see more of You.  Please use change me and use me today.