Unblinded Faith: Open Your Eyes To God’s PromisesSample

From Stone to Flesh

What would you say is the state of your heart? Is it hardened, maybe from the disappointments and devastation you’ve experienced in your past? Is it soft, full of God’s love overflowing through you?

My heart has been both. It was hard until the Lord transformed the stony places to flesh. The process took me by surprise, as He drew me into the book of Ezekiel, written by a priest who was called by God to prophesy destruction over Israel for their rebellion. Happy times, I tell ya! Fortunately, I had no idea what I was getting into when I heeded the Holy Spirit’s leading to crack open my Bible, grab a journal, and start studying. I pored through one chapter after another, completely bewildered and utterly confused by Ezekiel’s prophecies—except for one verse.

In Ezekiel 36:26, the prophet describes how God takes a stony, stubborn heart and turns it to tender, loving flesh—that promise felt so incredibly personal as I considered the matter of stubbornness and the weight of stones residing in my own heart. Over the next year, I often asked God what to do about those stones, and through the help of a godly counselor, He gave me the courage to go in for the dig. 

One memory at a time, He pulled back each layer of sediment, formed by stones of guilt, shame, bitterness and anger. As He unpacked those stones—those wounds—He made room in my heart for Jesus to dwell more fully. 

The Lord can turn our stony hearts into His dwelling place, transforming us with one healing truth at a time. Even if you don’t have a backstory like mine, marred by abuse and rebellion, is it possible that you’ve allowed offenses and disappointments to harden your heart? 

Friend, I pray you’ll join me in the daily process of giving God access to our hearts, so only He may take up residence in us and flow through us onto those we love.

How is God prompting you to give Him your heart so He can transform the hardened parts to flesh?