A STONE IN THE HEART

THIS MORNING AS I WAS TAKING MY MORNING WALK...THE LORD, IN HIS USUAL WAY, HAS TO GET THROUGH TO ME BY COMPARING SOMETHING IN THE NATURAL TO THE SPIRITUAL.
I HAD A SMALL PEBBLE IN MY SHOE THAT WAS MAKING IT VERY PAINFUL TO WALK. I STOPPED SEVERAL TIMES TO TAP MY FOOT, TRYING TO SHAKE IT DOWN OUT OF THE WAY, UNTIL I COULD GET HOME AND DISPOSE OF IT.
BECAUSE I WAS WALKING THE DOG, AND THERE WASN'T ANYWHERE THAT I COULD STOP AND REMOVE MY SHOE, (AT LEAST THAT WAS MY EXCUSE) I CONTINUED ON TRYING TO IGNORE THE OBVIOUS IRRITATION.
I'VE BEEN ASKING THE LORD TO GIVE ME HIS INTERCEDING HEART...WHEN YOU ARE NEARLY SHUT AWAY WITH HIM...AND NOT OUT IN THE WORLD, YOU FEEL YOU ARE NOT IN TOUCH WITH IT'S PAIN AS YOU COULD BE...AND GOD FORGIVE ME...YOU GET INSENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS.
THIS IS WHAT I THOUGHT WAS KEEPING ME FROM RECEIVING AN ANSWER TO THIS PRAYER...
THIS IS THE PICTURE THAT HOLY SPIRIT REVEALED IN MY MIND CONCERNING THIS...
"JOY...LISTEN! YOU PREPARED FOR THIS WALK, BY PUTTING ON YOUR SHOES...YOU DID NOT LOOK INSIDE TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT COULD HINDER YOUR WALK. THE SMALLEST STONE CAN HINDER YOUR WALK WITH ME. LOOK INSIDE! LOOK INSIDE!
YES, I SAID THAT YOU COULD COME BOLDLY BEFORE MY THRONE...IN THIS I WILL COMMAND YOU TO REMOVE YOUR SHOES, FOR YOU WILL WALK ON HOLY GROUND...EVEN SO...TO WALK WITH ME, TO INTERCEDE WITH ME...YOU MUST LOOK FOR AND REMOVE THE STONES THAT MAY BE HIDING IN YOUR HEART.
YOU HAVE IGNORED THE STONE IN YOUR HEART, THINKING TO REMOVE IT LATER...
REMOVE IT NOW!....REMOVE IT NOW....STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING, AND REMOVE IT NOW!
THEN COME AND FEEL THE PAIN OF A BROKEN AND CONTRITE HEART...THAT WHICH IS MY OWN HEART THAT INTERCEDES IN YOUR BEHALF...AND THAT FOR THE WHOLE WORLD...