Harden your heart. This is a phrase that we all have heard since we were children. I would like to look at how it occurs in each one of us more than we might imagine, and the results of which are damaging to our relationship with God and others.
To harden the heart is to make yourself stop feeling kindness and sympathy, to make yourself apathetic and indifferent to someone or something. Relationships can sometimes take a toll on our emotions causing desensitization of the heart. Our relationship with God can become strained as we sometimes harden our heart unknowingly towards Him. An antonym for the word harden is weaken, and when we harden our heart it weakens our relationship with our Lord.
It happens all the time in the smallest of ways as the enemy tries to infect our psyche with propaganda that we allow to put enmity between us and God.
We must guard our hearts and minds that we do not let small setbacks and disappointments to become deep-seated ill will. There are many different circumstances that we can morph into hostility and resentment towards God, such as the loss of a job, the breakup of a relationship, failure to receive recognition or advancement at our employment, or the inability to achieve a self-perceived social status that we think we should have. All anger and resentment initiated toward God will end in our own shame.
If we blame God for what we perceive as a loss in our life, this will result in animosity that often leads to bitter resentment. When we allow ourselves to become bitter, our disappointments can trigger disturbing emotional images and experiences that we relive over and over in our minds, blaming God. We must not waste our lives trying to get back what God has taken away for our own good.
The Bible give us many instances where a hardened heart will bring about distress and destruction.
Ephesians 4:18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.
Proverbs 28:14 Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into disaster.
Sometimes in God’s plan for our lives we have to take one or two steps back in order to take ten steps forward. We cannot allow ourselves to be become antagonistic towards God when these perceived setbacks occur. Circumstances that we initially see as stumbling blocks and hindrances, many times are in truth, correction from God as He disciplines us to remedy our direction in life. Letting go of the things that we may think are right for us is hard, but holding on to them makes it impossible for God’s plan to unfold for our life.
Proverbs 3:12 tells us that the LORD disciplines us because He loves us, just as we correct our children because of our love for them. We must not harden our hearts toward our Savior as He works in our lives on our behalf. Doing so will bring about our downfall.
Proverbs 29:1 further explains if we refuse to receive discipline from God and become hard-hearted and stiff-necked, after many reprimands we will be destroyed—shattered instantly—beyond any hope of recovery or healing.
God allows each and every situation we incur in life to educate and mature us; that’s why we must never become bitter and disheartened. The hard times we face in life are not punishment from God, they are preparation for a wonderful and glorious future filled with hope and promise. God always does what is the best for our lives so that we in turn might live our life to its fullest potential. At the time His discipline might not seem right, but we must not harden our hearts and become bitter towards Him as He acts as the loving Father He is, preparing us for our future.
So when your life feels like its going against the grain, don’t resist God to satisfy your own short-term appetite. Relax and trust God, as no matter what you think is the right plan for your life, He has a better one if you will but trust Him. If you feel that your life is headed in the wrong direction, allow God to change the course you are taking.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future
Related Article – http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/22-inspirational-bible-verses/
Categories: Bible Verses and Scriptures, Christ, Christianity, Dreams, future, God, God's Love, Hope, Life, Success, Troubles
Inspirational Bible Verses, Images, Pictures, Photos, Depictions, Quotes and Imaginings of God’s Love 
Darrell Creswell - A Study of Christian Grace 
Amen and Amen Darrell. It is so true, if you harden your heart, you cannot hear the voice of our LORD GOD! May GOD bless your ministry. Blessings to you and Gracie.
Thank you Belinda -Gracie sends her love – In Christ -Darrell
Thank You Pastor . Most of your inspirational verses I share it in my pages. Glory to GOD for the holy wisdom that was given to you by GOD. Praying for more inspirational stories to share to encourage believers and to non believers in Christ we pray to GOD that this will bring to Jesus for salvation in His mercy and grace. God bless you Pastor and your family in Christ Amen.
Thank you for sharing God’s grace in your pages. Blessings to you in Christ, Darrell
Darrell:
I really like what you wrote…”God allows each and every situation we incur in life to educate and mature us; that’s why we must never become bitter and disheartened. The hard times we face in life are not punishment from God, they are preparation for a wonderful and glorious future filled with hope and promise. God always does what is the best for our lives so that we in turn might live our life to its fullest potential.”
Darrell, thank you for being consistent in the Word and in sharing with us the compassion of the Lord.
Blessings~Zoey
Thank you Zoey – I appreciate you sharing God’s grace at http://tapestrytreasures.wordpress.com/. Thanks for stopping by and commenting – In Christ Darrell
Thank you Darrell, God’s timing is amazing & your post came at just the right times for me, wow. Wishing you a lovely week. God bless x
God bless you too. I stopped by your site at http://lookingthroughanotherseyes.wordpress.com/ and pray that God will carry you through these trying times. You will be in my prayers. In Christ -Darrell
Reblogged this on Outside The Box.
Amen!!!!
Thanks 🙂 I stopped by your page and enjoyed it – http://wordforlifesays.com/ Thanks for sharing His grace – Blessings Darrell
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Darrell: Thanks so much for this word of encouragement. As someone who has often asked whether God is disciplining me or simply pruning those things out of my life that don’t glorify him, I can testify to the difficulty of maintaining the right focus on Him during trying times. I’ll continue to follow your blog with interest to find out what God is leading you to write! Blessings – Mike
Thank you Mike for stopping by to share, and thanks for sharing His grace at Seeing the Heart http://seeingtheheart.wordpress.com/. Blessings to you in Christ-Darrell
The verse that pops up in my mind after reading your blog Darrell is ” “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”
How often humans who are mere mini mites, so daringly rise to oppose the true and living God. Inevitably when opportunity’s gone to repent, they are the ones who reap suffering.
A must share blog Darrell and with your permission I will share.
Thank you 🙂
and blessings always to you and family
Evelyn
Hi Evelyn, As always so good to see you here – Looking forward to the share at Christian Blessings – In Christ Darrell
Thank you for this timely reminder. I never realized that hardening of the heart can result from disappointments that we unconsciously or consciously blame God, till you showed how. God bless’
God bless you too FlorK – I stopped by your page at http://fkeh75.wordpress.com/. Blessings on your blog – In Christ, Darrell
Nice job. Thanks
Thank you Bob – Appreciate it -Blessings in Christ Darrell
“Circumstances that we initially see as stumbling blocks and hindrances, many times are in truth, correction from God as He disciplines us to remedy our direction in life. Letting go of the things that we may think are right for us is hard, but holding on to them makes it impossible for God’s plan to unfold for our life.” Amen! That is so true, Darrell. The worst season of my own life was a crucial turning point in my walk with the Lord and the catalyst to go into vocational ministry. Blessings.
There is a lot of wisdom in your words Mel, as always – Thanks for sharing, In Christ Darrell
Love it. God bless you
Thank you Pastor Allan – enjoyed your site at http://allanblog.me/ – Blessings in Christ, Darrell
You are welcome. I enjoy your site as well
i can relate to this now…very much. lately i’ve been battling against despair, disappointment and bitterness, and thank you Lord i came across these wonderful article. God bless!
Again, Thank you. Your kind words mean a lot to me – Thanks for taking the time to share – May the love of Christ engulf you – In Christ Darrell