Are We Hardhearted Toward the Supernatural?

And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. Mark 6:49-52

Is it possible that our hearts have grown hard when it comes to expecting the supernatural? I am afraid that it is very possible. In the above passage, the disciples had just witnessed a miracle to end all miracles-- the feeding of 5000 men (not including women and children) with a few loaves and fish. There was more left over than what they began with. Amazing! Yet when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, "they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled." This might be expected, but the next sentence contains a sharp rebuke-- "for they had not understood about the loaves, ***because their heart was hardened."***

Despite seeing Jesus doing all sorts of miraculous things, they were STILL amazed when He did something else. Their hearts were hardened. It's not that they didn't love the Lord, or that they weren't seeking Him. Simply put, they just didn't get it. They were still completely dominated by natural thinking that was woefully inadequate to take care of their problem. In other words, they were still full of unbelief. Are we?

Do we give more place to fear and doubt than we do to the truths found in the Word of God? Do we think more about things that foster fear and doubt, than on what God has accomplished and can accomplish?

Do we go through our lives never expecting anything supernatural from the Lord? Are we so used to just going through the motions of our religiosity that if something miraculous DID happen, we would we be knocked over by amazement and say, "I don't believe it?" God forbid!

We serve an almighty God that works in supernatural ways. And it wasn't just for "way back then." Let's soften our hearts and expect Him to work-- today!

Amen!!!
Good word brother👍🏿

I believe that brother Todd was talking about our personal walks,...
Meaning that we have become conditioned/hardened to "not" expect God to come thru for us supernaturally, and when He does we have a tendency to explain it away rather than praise Him...

For example when we or a loved one is ill, do we sincerely seek our Father fully relying on Him? or are we quick to seek out a medical specialist?
Or in our finances or in our marriages or in our careers or in really any situation.... Is God our one and only resource and do we approach the throne of grace boldy and expecting? Or when all else (our efforts) fail do we finally seek Him out?

I could be wrong but it's more in this vein that his word spoke to me more than openly advocating "signs and wonders".

It really comes down to belief... everyone always acts in faith in that which they believe-
If a person believes God will heal them, then they will seek Him out on this and wait for Him, just as a person who believes a Dr. will heal them will seek out a Dr. and wait on him and even wait longer still for the prescribed meds to take effect... I wonder what testimonies would come if we were as believing in Gods supernatural abilities as we are in medical science?

Fletcher- you got the gist.

We have to decide in our hearts whether God does or does not work in supernatural ways. If by reading scripture we become convinced that He does, then it is best not to harden our hearts to this fact.

I think many of our attitudes is that God can do anything, but He just doesn't do very much. And that's a cryin' shame.

Markus- what are you trying to prove or show? That we can't expect or ask God to move supernaturally because there might be a counterfeit? That is a pretty sorry way of living the Christian life. It's like ceding territory to the enemy before ever getting started. Shouldn't we be optimistic rather than pessimistic? Elijah was.

If you read a little further in the passage you quoted, Moses' (Gods) snake swallowed up the counterfeits.

Nope. The theme of the NT is optimism. Being realistic is simply relying on common sense.

"Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who have placed their trust in Him that the natural man exhibits. If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark. In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold on to or believe through common sense, and leap by faith into what He says. Once you obey, you will immediately find that what He says is as solidly consistent as common sense.

By the test of common sense, Jesus Christ’s statements may seem mad, but when you test them by the trial of faith, your findings will fill your spirit with the awesome fact that they are the very words of God. Trust completely in God, and when He brings you to a new opportunity of adventure, offering it to you, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis”” only one out of an entire crowd is daring enough to invest his faith in the character of God." ~~Oswald Chambers