Healthy Living

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Which One Does Your Heart Resemble?
By Dan Langerock

The other day, I was visiting people room-to-room at the hospital. I came across two different polarities of opinion relating to God, and I thought I would share them with you.

A Thankful Heart

This person had come in for a procedure to be done as an out-patient, and they had found a life-threatening condition as well. It was in the process of being corrected, and the person was very grateful to God for saving her life.

In the course of our conversation, I shared with this person that many people tend to wait until the last minute to try to come close to God, if at all. The problem with this is that there is not always a chance to do this at the end of life. It can be because of a coma or sudden death from a heart attack or auto wreck that this cannot be addressed.

An Indifferent Heart

This person had once been close to God, perhaps, but now they were apathetic. He was no longer a priority in this person’s life. Usually, in this circumstance, it is due to being hurt by someone that sours them on being close to God again. I was warned off the subject, so I didn’t probe into the reasoning behind the problem.

God has given us all the choice of free will. He took a big risk when He created us this way, but it is part of His nature to be fair. If we were forced to be close to God, like a robot, there would be no free will to love God or turn away and say “Thanks, but I’m not interested.”

I come across this same attitude in different ways during my services in various parts of the hospital. They are always optional, no one is ever forced to come to them or stay. They are free to leave at any time. Many do leave during the service, and that is their prerogative. It is sad to see, but it is a symptom of what is going on inside of them.

Another man I talked to about God had a question about how to help his grand daughter. She was rebelling against authority at the time, so I related it to the choice he had to be close to God. I told him that I can’t force you to be close to God or go to church just as you cannot make choices for your grand daughter whom you love. I am only here to present what God has for you, if you want it that’s great, if not then you have to deal with the consequences.

I am often frank with people in this manner because I may never see them again, and I want them to realize the seriousness of their spiritual choices. Of course, I don’t speak to everyone in this manner, it depends on the situation. Where do you stand with God? Have you hardened your heart and life with what you have experienced or do you have a soft heart toward God, in the sense of being thankful for what God has given you? David, the one who wrote many of the Psalms, had a thankful and repentant heart toward God, and God called him “a man after My own heart”. God is able to work in both kinds of building material, but the difference is like that between clay and stone. Which one have you chosen to become?

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