The Callous on the Heart
IllustrationAnalogy★★★SOME people go to the podiatrist because they need him to cut off a callous where their skin has gotten really hard. It’s not that they don’t still have soft skin; it’s just that it’s been covered over for so long, they can’t feel it anymore. When you and I have gone an extended time away from God, a callous can grow, so that you don’t feel the desire to be close to God. It’s not that the desire isn’t there. A new nature exists for Christians and the new nature always is feeling God. The reason a person might not feel the desire is because they are calloused. Their heart has become hard, many times due to ungratefulness and discontent.
The point
An extended time away from God can callous the heart so we no longer feel the desire for Him, even though the new nature within still longs for closeness.