Heat Reveals the Heart

Our “heat reveals the heart” infographic illustrates a crucial truth about sanctification: God often uses heat—life’s trials, conflicts, and difficulties—not to destroy us but to expose us. The central image features two bowls under the same sun. One contains mud, which hardens in the heat. The other contains snow, which softens. The heat—the situational or relational difficulty—is constant. What varies is the substance in the bowl, which represents the condition of the heart.

The takeaway here is profound: the heat is not the first problem to resolve. The relational conflict, the job stress, the disobedient child, or the inattentive spouse is not the root issue. The heat simply reveals what’s already in the heart. If the heart is proud, the heat will harden it. If the heart is humble, the same heat will soften it. The visual is elegant but arresting—two people can undergo the same trial, but one will respond with submission and growth, while the other resists and calcifies in sin.

In this way, the graphic affirms God’s sovereign goodness—He can use sin sinlessly. He used Joseph’s brothers’ betrayal, Potiphar’s wife’s lies, and the cupbearer’s forgetfulness to form his character. The heat never lessened, but Joseph’s response to it revealed his trust in the Lord.

It’s tempting in moments of conflict to fixate on the offender—the person who caused the offense. But this distracts from the heart work God is doing in us. God may use that very person, wrong though they may be, as an imperfect instrument of righteousness. This worldview is not to excuse sin but to reorient our perspective. Instead of “cursing the sun,” we ask, “What is this heat revealing about me?” Are we manifesting humility—a heart that’s moldable, submissive, and God-reliant—or pride—a heart that stiffens, resists, and justifies?

This graphic also challenges us to consider our relationship with God, not just our reactions to people and circumstances. Are we more interested in relief from the heat or transformation through it? The aim is not merely to fix the situation but to realign with God through repentance, faith, and humility. This reorientation will then allow us to address external problems with clarity and love rather than self-protection or blame.

Case Study: Biff and Bert – When the Heat Exposes the Heart

Biff entered counseling visibly agitated. His voice carried frustration as he recounted Bert’s offenses. “He lied about me. He undermined my reputation with our friends. How am I supposed to respond to that?” His words were sharp, his posture rigid. Biff was focused on the heat—on Bert.

To be clear, Bert had indeed sinned. His actions were unjust and divisive. But the counseling room is not primarily a courtroom—it’s a sanctification chamber. The counselor gently shifted the conversation:

“What is Bert’s sin revealing about you, Biff?”

Biff blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Well, how have you responded to Bert?”

With some prodding, Biff admitted to stewing in bitterness, nursing resentment, and entertaining thoughts of revenge. He had prayed—yes—but mostly for God to change Bert. He had not asked God to change him. Bert’s sin, like the sun in the graphic, was simply being heat. The issue wasn’t merely what Bert had done but what Biff’s heart was doing in response.

The counselor walked him through the concept that God is not indifferent to injustice, but He is also committed to exposing idols—things we cling to more than Him. In Biff’s case, the idol was reputation. Bert’s betrayal pierced that idol, and the offense revealed how tightly Biff clung to the approval of others.

Biff began to see that God was using Bert, sinfully though he acted, to show him where his affections were misplaced. This didn’t mean Bert was off the hook—it meant Biff had heart work to do before he could confront Bert with gospel clarity rather than self-righteous anger.

As Biff repented and leaned into humility, his heart softened. He began to pray for Bert not out of spite, but out of love. Biff began to sense the Lord’s nearness, even while the heat persisted. He was no longer managed by the heat but transformed by it.

In time, Biff approached Bert, not from a place of superiority but as a fellow sinner desperate for grace. And because Biff was changing, he could now be an agent of change in Bert’s life.

Conclusion

When the sun rises, and trials bear down, don’t rush to cast blame or seek escape. Ask: “Is this heat hardening or softening my heart?” God is at work in the fire—not only to refine others but to reshape us.

Find all our graphics here.

Peace,
Rick