The more problems I have with friends and family lately the more this verse pops up:
Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. Hebrews 3:8
It’s so easy to turn inward and only think of yourself as being right. The result is that you harden your heart. And when your heart gets hard it turns you into one hard and calloused person.
Paul was writing to the Hebrews who’s ancestors turned their back on God after he brought them out of Egypt, fed them, and tried to lead them to the Promised Land. They hardened their hearts against God and ended up wandering the desert for 40 years, with every one of the originals except two dying before they entered the Promised Land.
In practical terms, it’s tough not to harden your heart when you are hurt. We all have a basic protection mechanism that builds up natural defenses. That includes hardening your heart. But when you’re hurting is exactly the time to open up your heart, even if makes you vulnerable to more hurt. Because when your heart becomes hard it’s really tough to soften it up again. Trust me—been there, done that.
If you open up to Jesus—really open up—you can stop your heart from hardening. After all, he is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). A hardened heart never has a chance to find the Promised Land.
Hear Jesus’ voice. Become a softie today—don’t let your heart be hardened!
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