in return (i speak as to children) widen your hearts also. [2 cor 6:13]
there’s a story in acts 16 about paul and his companions traveling to philippi. there they shared the gospel with a group of women and one of them, lydia, is saved and baptized. what’s interesting about this story is luke tells us “the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by paul.”
in 2 corinthians paul has told the corinthians they are not restricted by him. his heart is open and he is not a stumbling block for them. it is their own affections for things other than the Lord that restrict them from receiving the truth of the gospel into every area of their lives. he implores them to open their hearts also.
we can draw the conclusion that a closed heart is obstructed by our affection for, or idolization of, things of this world above God. so if we are to widen our hearts to hear the gospel unobstructed, we must ask the Lord to do this work in us, and we must humbly submit ourselves to his truth and authority in our lives.
are there specific things in your life you know prevent you from paying attention to the word of the Lord?
ask the Lord to open your heart, to remove anything that you idolize and keep as an obstruction to the gospel in your life. do not live cutoff from the fullness of the gospel, but widen your heart to the fullness of life that Jesus came and died so that you might experience.
the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. i came that they may have life and have it abundantly. [john 10:10]
little children, keep yourselves from idols. [1 john 5:21]
~ keith kozlowski