Character and Discipline · Christian Life
Could You Soften Your Heart?
7 min read, approximately
Hebrews 3:8-19
“Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested me and put me to the proof, and saw my works for forty years. That is why I was displeased with that generation and said: Their hearts are always wandering, and they have not known my ways. So I swore in my anger: They will not enter my rest. Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you has an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. Instead, encourage one another every day, as long as it is called:
Today, so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become sharers in Christ, provided that we hold firmly to our original confidence until the end, while it is said: If you hear his voice today, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. Who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Were they not all those who came out of Egypt under Moses? And with whom was he displeased for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, except those who disobeyed? So we see that they could not enter because of unbelief.”
Instructions?
Just as every household appliance comes with instructions so that we can use it properly without damaging it, human beings also have instructions for living an abundant, full, blessed, and lasting life… These instructions are found in the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Yet circumstances, mistreatment, problems, everyday situations, upbringing, culture, and tradition have formed a powerful stronghold that has led people to harden their hearts against God’s voice and his instruction.
“as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God; They have all turned aside, they are together become unprofitable; There is none that doeth good, no, not so much as one: Their throat is an open sepulchre; With their tongues they have used deceit: The poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3:10-18)
Not listening to God’s voice…
not meditating on his precepts and statutes, not having fellowship with the Lord, and not acknowledging him in our daily walk have only hardened our hearts. We have allowed coldness and insensitivity to take root, deciding for ourselves what is ‘best’ for us. Meanwhile, we have chosen to forget the people beside us, becoming indifferent as we overlook their needs. We forget that we are God’s outstretched arms to our neighbors. We deceive ourselves by criticizing them to justify why they are in their situation, then change the subject so that we can carry on with barren lives, going around in repetitive cycles and living on the crumbs of happiness our surroundings offer. And so:
“… the Spirit clearly says that in the last days some will abandon the faith, listening to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences have been seared. They will forbid marriage and command people to abstain from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by believers and those who have known the truth.” (1 Timothy 4:1-3)
“For this people’s heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them.” (Matthew 13:15)
‘And turn back, and I would heal them’… God is waiting for you and me to open our hearts so that he can break through all the hardness within them
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
Any better ideas?
“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his works:” (Romans 2:4-6)
Tired of having such a heavy heart, full of unbelief and insensitivity, and far from God?
“Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom the good tidings were before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience, he again defineth a certain day, To-day, saying in David so long a time afterward (even as hath been said before), To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts.” (Hebrews 4:6-7)
Today can be our day to repent and give our hearts to the King of Glory. He always knows what to do!
“For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin. Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help [us] in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16)
Do we want to hand over the helm of our lives?
Well,
“… The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the word of faith that we proclaim: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is made righteous, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For Scripture says: Whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 10:8-11)
The Benefits?
1. “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
2. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also: from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7)
3. “But the Comforter, [even] the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.” (John 14:26-27)
Yes, but… what about the hardness of our hearts?
Take heart, for:
“… I will take you from among the nations, gather you from every land, and bring you into your own country. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be cleansed of all your impurities. I will cleanse you of all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, to keep my precepts and put them into practice.” (Ezekiel 36:24-27)
“If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)
Could you soften your heart so that God can use us?
_**Remember to stop by the Songbook
May God continue to bless you, and may you continue to have a wonderful day in Christ Jesus!