Hardened Hearts

The Holy Spirit works constantly in us and around us sustaining all life, bringing light and healing to our bodies and souls. Never does He rest. Love is unstoppable. Though at times His work is hidden from our intelligence, we can be assured that this healing is taking place. Provided that our hearts are open to Him to a degree. This is why repeated mortal sin is so dangerous. The human heart can become so hardened that it repels and refuses the love of God. God never gives up, though. Even when a human heart completely refuses Him entrance He continues to work on the soul through external circumstances. Archbishop Fulton Sheen called this "black grace". It is when God uses the negative experiences in a person's life to obtain a positive result. Like letting a person hit rock bottom so that he will see that he is on the wrong path. Often people will turn to God in their extreme misery.
I've had some experience with "black grace" and let me tell you - it's no picnic. Those who have read my blog know that I took the long way (maybe I should call it the wrong way) to God and spent many years stumbling over myself (and everyone else for that matter) before I turned to Him. My turning to Him was a result of this "black grace". Black grace is finding out the hard way where GOD IS NOT. The problem wasn't so much sin as it was sin that was not repented of. God knows we are weak and is quick to forgive but we must ASK for this forgiveness and be sorry for our sins. God is so merciful that those who aren't sorry can even ASK for the grace to be sorry for their sins. And He will give it to them. Amazing. There is no obstacle that cannot be overcome once we turn toward Him.

God is good.

I used to be terrified of the one unforgivable sin that's mentioned in the Bible - the sin against the Holy Spirit. For some reason I was sure that I had inadvertently committed this grave sin. Talk about frightening! This was shortly after my return to the Church and satan played upon this as much as possible. Laugh if you will, but I lived in horror for quite a while thinking that it was finished, all over for me. Sometimes things can get a bit rough for the newly converted, especially for those who are overly scrupulous. The same thing happened to Billy Graham. After having some bad thoughts about the Holy Spirit he was certain he was damned for all eternity. I wonder how many other people satan has tried to pull this trick on?

Just in case this has happened to anyone else:
The sin against the Holy Spirit is the continual refusal of God's mercy even until the point of death. It is final impenitence. So those of you who are still alive can breath a sigh of relief (lol) !