Harden not your heart despite how you feel the need to protect yourself from disappointment or pain.
Our anchor verse today comes from Psalm 95:8:
โDo not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness.โ
Lets face it, we get hurtโby people, by life, by disappointments that cut deeper than we expectedโand a part of us quietly goes:
“Never again.”
We start pulling back.
We become cautious with our kindness.
Guarded with our emotions.
And before we know it, weโre not just protecting our heartโฆ weโre hardening it.
It feels safer that way.
But hereโs the thingโ
A hardened heart isnโt safe.
Itโs just lonely.
And heavy.
What Does a Hardened Heart Look Like?
It doesnโt always look angry.
Sometimes it looks like indifference.
Avoidance.
Silence.
A slow drifting away from God, from people, from purpose.
But hereโs a heart check straight from the Word:
Ezekiel 36:26 โ
โI will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.โ
A heart of flesh.
Tender. Responsive. Alive.
Thatโs what He offers us.
But we have to be willing to receive it.
Why Softening Matters
Softening is not weaknessโitโs warfare.
Itโs choosing to stay open in a world that teaches you to shut down.
Itโs choosing love over fear, faith over cynicism.
Proverbs 4:23 says,
โAbove all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.โ
Noticeโit says guard, not harden.
Thereโs a difference.
Guarding means being wise with what enters and exits.
Hardening means sealing it off completelyโeven from God.
An Invitation to Open
Maybe today, the invitation is simple:
Let God in.
That hurt youโve buried?
That numbness youโve normalized?
He can handle it.
Psalm 34:18 โ
โThe Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.โ
He doesnโt shame your sorrow.
He sits in it with you.
And slowly, gently, He starts to soften the parts you thought were beyond repair.
Closing Words
So todayโif you hear His voice…
If you feel that gentle tug on your spirit…
Donโt harden your heart.
Lean in.
Let go.
Let God.
Lamentations 3:22-23 โ
โBecause of the Lordโs great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.โ
In the Book of Revelation, we are told that the Lord Jesus Christ is standing at the door, knocking and all we have to do is to open the door to let Him in. I pray that you will swallow your pride and open the door, answer His call and let Him in.
Thank you for sharing this quiet moment with me.
Until next time, may your heart remain open, your soul anchored in grace, and your life rooted in truth.
This is Harden Not Your Heart. Be blessed.
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