“The trouble with steeling yourself against the harshness of reality” Frederick Buechner reminds us, “is that the same steel that secures your life against being destroyed secures your life also against being opened up and transformed.”

The Bible says the Lord is jealous for our affections [Exodus 20:5] and asks us to love Him with all of our heart [Luke 10:27]. But we cannot fully give to Him, and fully receive from Him, until we allow Him to take down our walls. These walls around our heart correlate with the fortified cities in the Old Testament. Echoing the words of Moses [in Deuteronomy 28], the prophet Jeremiah warns that “[a distant nation] will destroy the fortified cities in which you trust.” [Jeremiah 5:17] Yes, sadly, we’re often misled to believe that we must build up our defenses. When we do so, we lean on our own understanding, instead of trusting in the Lord [Proverbs 3:5].

Then again, if we trust the Lord Jesus, He will fulfill this beautiful promise: “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]

As sincerely as I know how, I invite you to let down your defenses and trust the Lord Jesus today.

This is Andrew Palau.