CPR FOR THE HEART

One of the primary reasons people are hardening their hearts toward God in our society today is the lack of imagination and innovation, which has been stifled by our reliance on cell phones, technology, and social media. Creativity is essential to having a joyful heart. Studies show that children today, as well as some adults, have lost the ability to create in their minds, becoming apathetic toward learning. The fact is that because we have lost the mystery of God and the wonders of his creation, we have left behind our greatest God-given gift, imagination. The centerpiece of the issue of restoring a hard heart lies in recognizing how God has revealed himself through both general and special revelation. Because of the lack of mystery, wonders, and imagination, there is limited to no ability to consider all possibilities for either existence or transcendence. What a dreadful thought; the power of a transcendent Creator/Redemer has become limited by the lack of mystery, wonders, and imagination. The result of these issues is isolation, a sincere lack of desire to connect with others. With the ease of online everything, we become worn out about life itself. This separation from one another creates a society of disconnected individuals who only see their own circumstances myopically; this results in a culture of self-absorbed, self-satisfying individuals who only consider their own needs and harden their hearts to alternative solutions; this is especially true of young people today. It is evident that many young people today have hardened their hearts to what the church represents in their minds. Instead, this generation expects the church to cater to their particular needs, desires, and wants; this represents a dramatic shift in culture from what the expectation was just 50 years ago. Consequently, the church has failed to grasp the ‘new normal.’ Once again, we see the impact of culture, worldviews, and education. This is a difficult place to be, for man's struggle of the heart is consumed by many things of this life: health, worry, sickness, loneliness, death, and paradoxically, there is a fear of life itself. Rather than seeking God, they attempt to find happiness in other things, including their own sense of identity. So what is the solution? The aim here is to demonstrate that without these three elements (mysteries, wonders, and imagination), man is destined to be lost. What do those who have accepted Jesus Christ have in essence that others do not? I submit it is an awe-inspiring understanding of what we can know about God and what is yet to be known, additionally, the believer continues to have wonder of all that God continues to do for them, and those around them; finally their imagination is filled with what lies ahead of them in the promises of God through Jesus Christ for the hope of eternal life. However, for many who leave or do not know Christ, there is limited mystery or wonder, let alone imagination about God; they are consumed by the digital, artificial, and tangible world, leaving little room for Christ. Sadly, the church today often struggles to communicate these elements to those who are rejecting their faith; instead, we are too frequently tempted to speak in platitudes or code, providing them with a YouTube video or a sermon from some pastor's online post to convey the love of God. The Church today needs to wake up from its slumber. God desires for his children to dream, envision, and hope in Christ. It is a matter of desire to have a fire within us that burns for a relationship with Christ. Desire then is the root of a healthy heart, one that imagines all that God is capable of and ponders what he has previously done in their lives, which creates the opportunity to imagine what God still can do in others. If we can show people how the mysteries, wonders, and imagination are all elements of a foundation for forming faith, this will begin to stir the heart of the unaffiliated individual. Second, there is a need to change the images people envision when the name of Jesus or God himself is spoken. We must be careful not to use church jargon that may offend, deter, or make people feel insignificant. Words like "family," "community," and "intimacy" can all evoke imagery of warmth, caring, and genuine fellowship; however, the use of membership classes or Sunday School classes may create a barrier to inclusion. Finally, there is a need for people to reimagine hope, joy, peace, mercy, grace, and love through the lens of a loving God who sent his son to die for them; God has instilled each of these elements within the heart of every human being; Anyone who has left the faith is only one conversation, one prayer, one meal, one community event, away from coming back. There are thousands of people all around us who want and need fellowship; they may have been asking God to show them someone with whom they can connect, but where are the harvesters? Consider that God has placed us in the midst of thousands of people in need of hope, but we are too busy, too distracted, or too overwhelmed to notice. Consider all the prayers that we have lifted up for family and friends who are far from the Lord. Yet, at the moment when God has pierced their hearts to seek him, we were not available. Imagine now that a person is broken, lost, empty, and in need of hope; imagine that one person is you?