A Prayer for An Unwilling Heart
By: Chelsey DeMatteis
Unwillingness is something that often gets overlooked or passed off as permissible. The world tells us we can harbor whatever feelings we want, and we can do with them whatever feels best. I met this head-on as I went through a season where God revealed to me just how much unwillingness was buried in my heart.
Perhaps you’ve been there too? Maybe you’ve been unwilling to forgive, to show up where God has clearly called you, to listen to your neighbor struggling, to grieve and heal through your own hurts, or to stand firm in your faith when you felt pressured by others. The lists go on and on in regards to what we have buried in our hearts.
As the Lord peeled back these layers for me, I continually saw that having a heart willing to do what God commands of us is completely contrary to the world. Our world celebrates the power of the person to choose to do what they desire when they desire, and how they desire. As I went through this season of my unwillingness, the Lord led me to 1 Corinthians 2:14. “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."
Unwillingness has been a struggle for man since Eve ate the fruit from Satan. We saw this unfold in Genesis 3. Eve was unwilling to trust what God has told her and Adam was unwilling to step in and lead his wife. We see clearly throughout scripture that being willing to do what God commands is not natural to the flesh.
2 Corinthians 2:14 also tells us that those in Christ are “spiritually discerned.” This should not only excite us but cause us to approach the Lord with hearts willing and desiring to live fully for Him. This means as we know what His Word says about the very things we are struggling in, we clearly know how His heart feels toward what we are walking through. We see what we need to specifically pray for and seek.
Whatever you find yourself unwilling to hand over today; know that the Lord sees it. He sees your heart and desires you to surrender this to Him. The Lord not only wants to reveal His heart to you through this, but He wants to walk with you each step of the way as this season unfolds. He is good, He is faithful, and He will see you through.
Pray with me…
Lord, help my heart in the places it’s unwilling to hand over to you. Help me see that unwillingness gets in the way of my relationship with you. Father, I ask that my heart seeks you and your heart above all things. That my heart would celebrate that you call those in Christ spiritually discerned. Lord, lead me as I continue to turn away from the ways of this world and cling tightly to you and your commands. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Chelsey DeMatteis is a wife, SAHM, devotional writer, and the host Living With Less podcast - birthed from John 3:30, You can find more about Chelsey at her website - www.ChelseyDeMatteis.com.
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Originally published Sunday, 07 March 2021.
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