A Soul Like a Balloon

In Hebrews 3, the theme verse gets repeated a couple of times: Do not harden your heart (Hebrews 3:8, 15). In order to have a heart that is not hard, it means we have to stay open, vulnerable, and hurt-able. That’s part of the pain of being human. Of course, that’s also how we grow in our relationships. Love requires an openness, even though the world can be so harsh.

In one tragic car accident, Jerry Sittser lost his mother, his wife, and his daughter. He wrestled with God through the grief, not settling for easy answers or quick fixes. After years, he wrote a book about the experience, surprised at himself that although the grief remained, his inner world had expanded and increased its capacity for more joy. He puts it like this:

“The soul is elastic, like a balloon. It can grow larger through suffering. Loss can enlarge its capacity for anger, depression, despair, and anguish, all natural and legitimate emotions whenever we experience loss. Once enlarged, the soul is also capable of experiencing greater joy, strength, peace, and love.” - Jerry Sittser, A Grace Disguised

Are you open to allowing your soul to expand, even though it may mean more grief? What might it look like to be soft-hearted these days?