How to Overcome a Calloused Heart

The Calloused Christian: How to Overcome A Calloused Heart
By Jamie Kayali

Today, let’s tune our hearts to the voice of the Holy Spirit and respond! As Christians, we often need to overcome spiritual callouses that form when we lose focus on God. These callouses prevent us from living in victory and adding to our testimonies of God’s goodness.

**Matthew 7:21-23 (NASB)**  
_"Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’"_

This passage is a call to awaken. It warns us against superficial faith—professing God without being transformed by Him. Just as a physical callous hardens to protect the skin, a spiritual callous builds over our hearts when we try to protect ourselves from discomfort, distraction, or pain rather than surrendering fully to God.

**What is the pandemic in the church today?**  
It’s the callousness of our hearts toward God.

**What does a callous do?**  
Callouses are thick layers of hardened skin that develop when the body tries to protect itself from pressure or friction. Spiritually, this is what happens when our hearts become hardened toward God, making us insensitive to His voice and resistant to His ways.

**Mark 6:51-52 (NASB)**  
_"Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their hearts were hardened."_

Even the disciples, who witnessed miracles firsthand, had hearts that were slow to understand. Their astonishment at Jesus calming the storm revealed that they had missed the lesson of His earlier miracles. They were distracted, consumed by fear rather than faith. Similarly, our hearts become hardened when we fail to internalize and reflect on what God is doing in our lives.

Symptoms of a Hardened Heart

1. **Unable to understand** – We struggle to grasp spiritual truths.
2. **Unable to see** – We fail to recognize God’s movement in our lives.
3. **Unable to hear** – We no longer hear God’s voice clearly.
4. **Unable to remember** – We forget the past faithfulness of God.

These inabilities affect our relationship with God, making us spiritually blind and deaf.

**Mark 8:17-18 (NASB)**  
_"And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, 'Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet comprehend or understand? Do you still have your heart hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember…?'"_

The disciples were so preoccupied with their immediate needs and fears that they missed what Jesus was trying to teach them. Their hearts were hardened, not because of blatant sin, but because they were distracted by the cares of life.

Overcoming a Hardened Heart

To overcome a calloused heart, we must refocus on God. This means turning our attention away from distractions, whether good or bad, and keeping our hearts aligned with Him. It’s a process of surrender and transformation.

Here are some practical steps to help soften a hardened heart:

1. **Reflect on God’s Faithfulness** – Remember what God has already done in your life. Write down answered prayers and past victories.
2. **Stay in the Word** – Regularly engage with Scripture to renew your mind and soften your heart.
3. **Pray for Sensitivity** – Ask the Holy Spirit to make you more sensitive to God’s voice and leading.
4. **Stay Focused on the Eternal** – Don’t let the cares of this world distract you from your relationship with God. Keep an eternal perspective.

**Celebrate Recovery/Discipleship Communities** are excellent places to receive healing, support, and accountability. Whether you’re just recognizing your hardened heart or are in the process of healing, these communities can help guide you toward restoration.

Conclusion

What distractions have calloused your heart toward God? Is it your job, relationships, parenting, or life’s demands? Have you noticed a lack of understanding, hearing, or seeing God’s work around you? Take heart—victory is within reach! Today, we can choose to keep the Lord as the all-consuming focus of our lives. Let’s soften our hearts and turn back to God fully.  

_"We must keep the Lord as the ALL-consuming presence in our lives—where all means all, and that’s all all means!"_