(Heart of Stone Or Flesh?) - Free Indeed - Abundant Living After Abuse

February 6

I strongly believe that if a person gives themselves to Christ, that in time, they will have a Re-born identity as well.  However, so often, new believers take on the identity of other Christians instead of Christ and then they are back where they started…empty. It was my desire that when I came back to God that I would not allow myself to conform to the behaviors of others. It was important to remember what I liked and disliked about the Christians in my life when I was a child and not become like them or for some Christians that impacted my life, learn from them. Overall, there is much to learn from past experiences so that one could avoid falling into a trap. For the Christians that were not positive in my life I had a name for them. I used to say that I was surrounded by Bulimic and Cannibal Christians.

What is a bulimic Christian? These Christians purchased all the right books, heard all the right sermons, purchased all the latest Christian movies, attended every Christian event  they could possibly attend,  and took in massive Christian information; to only spit it  out when they got fed up. The WORD of the Lord was not rooted, in their souls long enough, to keep them nourished.   They became slim in the Word and eventually died of spiritual starvation.   These individuals were unbalanced and spiritually malnourished. They look good on the outside but inside they are dead. This happens when the Spirit of God is not in a person and their hearts become as stone.

What is a Cannibal Christian? These Christians watch everything they do; they believe in image, piety and remind me of a modern day Pharisee. These Christians make sure they live piously. They keep themselves from any “secular” activities including wearing pants, wearing make-up, wearing jewelry, watching television, hearing the radio unless the station is from their own faith, they don’t drink coffee or eat pork (good thing), abstain from having fun with others if they are not like-minded so they really cannot witness to others, and are judgmental of others who are not of the same faith, class or don’t possess the level of education that meets their approval.   They pay their tithe (a good thing), and believe in taking care of their bodies by being vegetarians or vegan (excellent thing). These Christians try to have everything in place and most often become very religious and anyone who goes against their faith or thought process is an infidel. 

The Cannibal Christian has mastered spiritual cannibalism. Spiritually they will devour anyone in the name of God. They seem to always be right, because they read all the right books, wear the right clothes and know the right people. They have the right message, but they do not live the message of redemption.

These are the Christians that worry me the most, because they seem all together however, they are not aware that their tongue is killing others spiritually. They do not understand that their actions and their words do hurt people. When I came back, I vowed to the Lord that I wouldn’t be like either of these types of Christians however; anyone can fall into these two types. 

The issues with the two types of “Believers” are a heart condition that they are not willing to surrender. When one gets to the heart of most of the issues within members of these two groups one will find that there is a lot of unresolved issues from their past. Whether it is abuse, neglect, spiritual abuse and such, individuals mask their feelings and their pain with religion instead of with the Master Healer. I am pretty sure that you have met some of these people in your church or in your life. Or possibly, you may be saying to yourself that you have been guilty of this yourself. In either case, there is a special promise from Jesus in the Bible and it reads like this, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26 

If you have found yourself going to church and are trying in your own power to change and the more you try the more you become bitter and angry, the more Christ wants to remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Isn’t this amazing? It will be a heart transplant and without bloodshed. How incredible is that? 

Would you desire today to get a heart transplant by the Master Healer? Then invite him into your heart today and watch the awesome miracles he will perform in your soul, your life and those around you.