Walls

Why do Christians feel the need to have walls? 

I understand that we are to "guard your heart because from it flow the springs of life" (Proverbs 4:23 ISV), but I believe there is a difference between “guarding” and building a wall. Being guarded means that things can pass through; nothing can pass through a wall.

I've been surrounded, lately, by situations in which I see the walls that people have constructed. I have been tempted to build them myself. I know about walls; I used to have a lot of them. I understand why we put them up. Vulnerability is a scary thing, but knowing who I am in Christ gives me courage to be vulnerable. In ancient times they would build a wall around the city to fortify it against attack, but even a city had a gate where provision and supply could pass through. I want Christ to be my protector; I don’t want to depend on a man-made wall which can crumble under a strong attack. How many blessings and how much guidance do we miss because we have our walls constructed so well that nothing gets through? When we build a wall, we are actually telling God we don’t trust Him.

I remember a time when I was praying fervently for a breakthrough in a situation. God showed me a vision of a wall blocking Him from me. When I saw the wall, I wanted to push it down, but I was weak and it was painful. Then I realized, I was actually holding the wall up as He was trying to push it down. When I let go and stepped back the wall came down.That night was the same night God shut my mouth and told me to just "be still and know that He is God". The Holy Spirit began to move in my life in ways I didn't think was possible.

When we build wall to protect ourselves we are, in reality, blocking God’s will from moving freely in our lives. The same is true when we put on our masks to protect ourselves and keep others from seeing who we really are. Masks only enable people from holding us accountable and are another form of hypocrisy. They are also another form of a wall, this time blocking growth and teaching.

A wall is saying to God that you doubt his protection and security. He promises in his word that “He knows the plans He has for us” and they are “not to harm” us so why do we fear vulnerability? Instead of trusting God with our lives, we try to determine and make our own plans and guide our own ways pushing aside the will of God for our lives.

Isaiah 55:8-9
" ' For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways My ways,' 
declares the Lord
'As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are My ways higher than your ways
and My thoughts than your thoughts' "