Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8 ESV)

My ability to see God begins with the state of my heart. Bitterness, envy, covetousness, pride, fear, and anger are the bricks that build a wall around it. This protective barrier shields me from additional hurt, but it also makes it difficult for me to apply my heart towards something beneficial and worthwhile. If left unchecked, the wall becomes impenetrable from both sides, inside and out.

Perhaps this is what it means to be held captive. I placed myself here and I need someone to break me out. This is where the Lord shows up with a chisel. He could use a giant wrecking ball, but that would probably break our hearts even more because we are not ready to have all the bricks fall down at once.

With precision, Jesus will chip away at one brick to uncover an area of the heart that needs healing. When that part is strengthen and restored with healthy flesh, he moves on to clear away another brick. As the wall comes down one layer at a time, our vision is brightened with hope because we begin to see a new horizon of truth, God’s truth: He loves us and wants to redeem us. He wants to break down that dreaded wall that separated us from him.