To\nbetter understand the causes and solutions for a hardened heart, it\u2019s important\nto understand the broad biblical meaning of the word \u201cheart.\u201d The Bible\nconsiders the heart to be the hub of human personality, producing the things we\nwould ordinarily ascribe to the \u201cmind.\u201d For example, Scripture informs us that\ngrief (John 14:1); desires (Matthew 5:28); joy (Ephesians\n5:19); understanding (Isaiah 6:10; Matthew 13:15); thoughts and reasoning (Genesis 6:5; Hebrews 4:12;\nMark 2:8); and, most importantly, faith and\nbelief (Hebrews 3:12; Romans\n10:10; Mark 11:23) are all products of\nthe heart. Also, Jesus tells us that the heart is a repository for good and\nevil and that what comes out of our mouth \u2013 good or bad \u2013 begins in the heart (Luke 6:43\u201345).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Considering\nthis, it\u2019s easy to see how a hardened heart can dull a person\u2019s ability to\nperceive and understand. Anyone\u2019s heart can harden, even faithful Christians\u2019.\nIn fact, in Mark 8:17\u201319 we see Jesus\u2019 own\ndisciples concerned with their meager bread supply, and it was clear that each\nof them had forgotten how Jesus had just fed thousands with only a few loaves.\nQuestioning them as to the hardness of their hearts, Christ spells out for us\nthe characteristics of a hard heart: inability to see, understand, hear, and\nremember. Regarding this last criterion, too often we forget how God has\nblessed us and what He has done for us. Similar to the disciples or the\nIsraelites wandering in the wilderness, when a new calamity arises our hearts\noften fill with fear and concern. Sadly, this simply reveals to God the little\nfaith we have in His promise to take care of us (Matthew\n6:32\u201333; Philippians 4:19). We need to\nremember God\u2019s faithfulness then, now and tomorrow: \u201cNever\nwill I leave you; never will I forsake you\u201d (Deuteronomy\n31:6; Hebrews 13:5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sin\ncauses hearts to grow hard, especially continual and unrepentant sin. Now we\nknow that \u201cif we confess our sins, [Jesus] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins<\/strong>\u201d (1\nJohn 1:9). However, if we don\u2019t confess our sins, they have a cumulative\nand desensitizing effect on the conscience, making it difficult to even\ndistinguish right from wrong. And this sinful and hardened heart is tantamount\nto the \u201cseared conscience\u201d Paul speaks of in 1Timothy 4:1\u20132. Scripture makes it clear that if we\nrelentlessly continue to engage in sin, God will give us over to our \u201cdebased mind\u201d and let us have it our way. Paul writes\nabout God\u2019s wrath of abandonment where we see that godless and wicked \u201cmen who suppress the truth\u201d are eventually given over\nto the sinful desires of their hardened hearts (Romans\n1:18\u201324).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pride\nwill also cause our hearts to harden. The \u201cpride of\nyour heart has deceived you . . . you who say to yourself, \u2018who can bring me\ndown to the ground\u2019 . . . I will bring you down declares the LORD\u201d (Obadiah 3). Even in the face of tremendous proofs and\nwitnessing God\u2019s powerful hand at work, Pharaoh\u2019s hardened heart caused him to\ndeny the sovereignty of the one, true God. And when King Nebuchadnezzar\u2019s \u201cheart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed\nfrom his royal throne and stripped of his glory . . . until he acknowledged\nthat the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them\nanyone He wishes\u201d (Daniel 5:20\u201321).\nAccordingly, when we\u2019re inclined to do it our way, thinking we can \u201cgo it on\nour own,\u201d it would be wise to recall what King Solomon taught us in Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25:\n\u201cThere is a way that seems right to a man, but in the\nend it leads to death.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n So,\nwhat then is the antidote for a hard heart? First and foremost, we have to\nrecognize the effect that this spiritual disease has on us: \u201cSearch me O God, and know my heart\u2026see if there is any\noffensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting\u201d (Psalm 139:23\u201324). God can heal any heart once we\nrecognize our disobedience and repent of our sins. But true repentance is more\nthan simply a resolute feeling of steadfast determination. Repentance manifests\nitself in a changed life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After\nrepenting of our sins, hard hearts begin to be cured when we study God\u2019s Word.\n\u201cHow can a young man keep his way pure? By living\naccording to your word. I seek you with all my heart. . . . I have hidden your\nword in my heart that I might not sin against you\u201d (Psalm 119:9\u201311). The Bible is our manual for living as\nit is \u201cGod-breathed and is useful for teaching,\nrebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness\u201d (2 Timothy 3:16). If we are to live life to the fullest\nas God intended, we need to study and obey God\u2019s written Word, which not only\nkeeps a heart soft and pure but allows us to be \u201cblessed\u201d\nin whatever we do (Joshua 1:8; James 1:25).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hearts\ncan also become hardened when we suffer setbacks and disappointments in life.\nNo one is immune to trials here on earth. Yet, just as steel is forged by a\nblacksmith\u2019s hammer, so, too, can our faith be strengthened by the trials we\nencounter in the valleys of life. As Paul encouraged the Romans: \u201cBut we also rejoice in our sufferings because we know that\nsuffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.\nAnd hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our\nhearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us\u201d (Romans 5:3\u20135).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" To better understand the causes and solutions for a hardened heart, it\u2019s important to understand the broad biblical meaning of the word \u201cheart.\u201d The Bible considers the heart to be the hub of human personality, producing the things we would ordinarily ascribe to the \u201cmind.\u201d For example, Scripture informs us that grief (John 14:1); desires […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[526],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n