Heart of Stone
Have you ever heard someone described as having a heart of stone?
Usually, they’re talking about someone who seems cold, guarded, or emotionally closed off. But I don’t think most people start out that way.
Most hearts become hardened one disappointment at a time.
One betrayal.
One heartbreak.
One broken promise.
One loss.
Life has a way of leaving scars on our hearts if we let it.
We’ve all heard the saying, “Don’t wear your heart on your sleeve.” Usually, that advice comes from someone who has been hurt and is trying to spare you the same pain. Their intentions are good. After all, vulnerability can be risky.
When we allow people to truly know us, we also give them the opportunity to disappoint us.
And unfortunately, sometimes they do.
Trust gets broken.
Secrets get shared.
People we love let us down.
Over time, many of us begin building walls around our hearts. At first, those walls feel like protection. Eventually, they can become prisons.
We become more cautious about who we trust. We share less. We reveal less. We convince ourselves that if we don’t let anyone in, they can’t hurt us.
But that’s not really living.
There has to be a balance between wisdom and vulnerability. We don’t have to hand our hearts to everyone we meet, but we also can’t allow ourselves to become so guarded that we stop loving, trusting, and connecting altogether.
The truth is, people will disappoint us.
They are human.
Just like we are.
We all fall short.
But there is good news.
While people are imperfect, God is not.
When the world gives us reasons to harden our hearts, God gives us reasons to keep them open.
His love is not conditional. His faithfulness does not change based on our circumstances. His promises remain true, even when everything around us feels uncertain.
I don’t say that lightly.
I’ve seen firsthand what happens when someone loses hope. I lost my own mother to her complete loss of faith in this world. So, I truly understand how defeated a person can feel. I understand how someone can begin to believe there is no way forward.
But I also know that there is hope.
No matter how broken you feel.
No matter how many times you’ve been hurt.
No matter how thick the walls around your heart have become.
God can restore what life has damaged.
People may fail you.
Friends may disappoint you.
Family members may hurt you.
But God never will.
Sometimes we spend so much time focusing on our wounds that we forget there is a Healer.
Sometimes we become so determined to protect our hearts that we accidentally close them off from the very One who can restore them.
Maybe your heart has been broken.
Maybe you’ve built walls so high that nobody can get in.
Maybe you’ve convinced yourself that becoming hard is the only way to survive.
But God did not create your heart to become stone.
He created it to love, to trust, to heal, and to be restored.
This world is temporary. The pain is temporary. The disappointments are temporary.
But God’s love is eternal.
So, if your heart feels wounded today, ask Him for help. Please ask Him.
Open His Word.
Seek His guidance.
Trust His promises.
No matter how far gone you may feel, He can soften what life has hardened.
He is still in the restoration business.
The world hardens hearts. God restores them.
Here are some great resources to help you learn the truth of God and His Word. I personally use many of these, including the Bible Recap, Proverbs 31 Ministries, and LOVE The Purpose Driven Life. They really changed my life! Along with reading the Bible and learning through knowledgeable resources to help navigate the meaning of the Word, these are some options to get started. If you are dealing with heartbreak, disappointment, grief, loss of trust, or simply feeling worn down by life, I’ve found that the best apps are the ones that combine Scripture, guided devotionals, and practical encouragement rather than just giving you a reading plan.
Here are some of my favorites:
Created by Tara-Leigh Cobble, The Bible Recap walks readers through the Bible chronologically and then provides a short daily explanation of what they just read.
Why I love it:
- Makes difficult passages easier to understand
- Helps connect the overall story of Scripture
- Only takes about 8–10 minutes a day for the recap portion
- Focuses on seeing God’s character throughout the Bible
- Great for both new believers and seasoned Christians
This is still my go-to recommendation.
What makes it powerful:
- Thousands of Bible reading plans
- Audio Bible options
- Devotionals on grief, anxiety, loneliness, forgiveness, healing, and hope
- Easy to save verses and create prayer lists
Search plans like:
- Finding Hope in Hard Times
- Healing from Brokenness
- Trusting God Through Difficult Seasons
- When God Feels Far Away
First 5 by Proverbs 31 Ministries
Excellent for people who want to understand Scripture rather than simply read it.
Why I love it:
- Daily teachings based on Bible passages
- Strong biblical foundation
- Especially helpful for women navigating difficult seasons
Their studies often focus on:
- Trusting God
- Emotional healing
- Identity in Christ
- Overcoming discouragement
Think of this as “guided prayer and Scripture meditation.”
Great for:
- Anxiety
- Sleepless nights
- Grief
- Stress
- Feeling overwhelmed
You can listen to Scripture-based meditations before bed or during quiet time.
A beautiful, modern devotional app.
Features:
- Daily devotionals
- Guided reflections
- Prayer prompts
- Scripture meditation
This is especially good if you’re trying to build a daily habit without feeling overwhelmed.
If you ever read a Bible passage and think:
“I have no idea what that means.”
This app is fantastic.
It walks chapter-by-chapter through the Bible with short audio teachings explaining what you’re reading.
Devotionals Specifically for the Brokenhearted
If you’re writing your Heart of Stone blog, you might mention topics like:
- God’s healing after betrayal
- Trusting God after disappointment
- Finding hope after loss
- Forgiveness
- Anxiety and fear
- God’s faithfulness when people fail us
Some books and devotionals I would recommend:
Jesus Calling
Short daily encouragement focused on God’s presence and peace.
New Morning Mercies
Excellent for people walking through difficult seasons.
Streams in the Desert
A classic devotional written largely from the perspective of enduring suffering while trusting God.
The Purpose Driven Life
Helpful when people feel lost, broken, or unsure of their purpose.
For someone who feels genuinely brokenhearted, I would probably start with:
- YouVersion
- Abide
- Bible Recap
These apps all serve a different purpose and complement each other well.
And I highly encourage you to also spend time in Psalms. The Psalms are full of people crying out to God from places of grief, fear, disappointment, and loneliness. They remind us that God is not afraid of our questions, our tears, or our struggles.
A verse that stands out to me and really shares my message and that may give you the hope you need today ❤️🙏🏻:
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” — Ezekiel 36:26
Great content! Keep up the good work!