I asked myself this question, “why do people hardened their hearts?” It’s because they cannot let go of the negative things that happen to them in the past and brought them in their present. And there’s a lot of bitterness inside their hearts.
I also, once hardened my heart before I became a disciple. But God gave situations in my life that helped me soften my heart and come to Him.
Why do you think God hardened the hearts of the people?
At first, I find this question quite difficult to accept. Bec I know and believed that I don’t have the right to ask God why He do certain things. I reminded of my struggle with my brother. My brother’s heart was so hardened to the point that he don’t communicate with us anymore. Even though he is my only brother and even though both of us are working here in Singapore. It’s sad and discouraging to know that there’s a huge gap between us. I don’t even know why he became like that. I don’t even know what happen to him. I don’t know why he don’t communicate with us anymore and why he is making himself far away from us. All these questions keeps running in my head. Sometimes, I indulge into self pity asking myself, have I done something to make my brother like that? That I am not a good sister towards him…
It makes me think, it was my brother’s choice and decision to harden his heart towards us. Then I asked myself, could it be that God has already hardening the heart of my brother? It reveals my heart, how I am not fully surrendered to God, how I doubt in His power and wisdom. How I doubt in His love for me and my brother.
My brother might be in a process of God’s mighty hand…. Then, it came to my realization that God is not only teaching my brother in his life right now, but God is also teaching me, to TRUST in Him. And God CHOOSE PEOPLE ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE NOT BECAUSE OF HOW GOOD OR HOW BAD THEY ARE. The scripture below really convicted me and it really hit me big time:
Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too. This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children. For God had promised, “I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins. But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.” In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.” Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it. For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.” So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen. Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?” No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. (Romans 9:7-23 NLT)
For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.” (John 12:39, 40 NIV)
Sometimes God can harden our hearts, make our eyes blind so we cannot see and understand. But God only do this when in our own free will, we already choose to harden our hearts and choose to be blind. Meaning, in the first place, we are the first one who made our choice and not God. God can use different situations in our lives to soften our hearts but the final decision would still be coming from us. And so, God can approved whatever decisions we had to teach us. Like how God hardened Pharaoh’s heart during the 10 plagues. For the first few plagues, it was Pharaoh’s decision to harden his heart, until God decided to harden it even more. And in Isaiah 6:9-10, it is the people who choose first to harden their hearts and not God. And in this scripture, it was the Jews who choose first to harden their hearts.
Why do you think God allows it?
God’s ways are different from our ways. His love and mercy towards us is so incomparable. He wanted us to respond to Him genuinely. God, our Heavenly Father is so gracious to us that He don’t want to manipulate our own decisions and He don’t force us to certain things such as believing in Him. God showed to us and proved to us how much He loves us by allowing His son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for us. Those people who choose not to believe in Him and follow their sinful ways were not controlled by God. It is their choice. And sometimes no matter how many times God has been reaching out to them, they still refuse, so what God did is that, He harden their hearts even more and make their eyes blind.
But, take note, God harden a person’s heart until they learn. It would be very painful. And so, we should not wait for it to happen. So, if there is a chance for us to repent, do it now. Don’t wait until tomorrow.
Today’s activity: Run at bishan park+sit ups+stretching and the most impt is spending time with my Father. Nothing beats the day of talking to Him in prayer and just really pouring out your heart and soul while talking to Him and crying. Isa sa mga memorable times ko Sakanya. #healthyliving #run #park #prayer #God #exercise #goodmorning
“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” (John 12:27, 28 NIV)
Jesus heart was troubled even though he already knew that he needs to suffer and die for the sins of many. What convicted me most is that he choose to be submissive to God and obeyed Him despite of what he feels. Sometimes, we struggle in obeying God or submitting to Him esp when our hearts is troubled or when we are filled with distressed. But Jesus reminded me that if I really really love God so much, I WOULD BE WILLING TO DO EVERYTHING FOR HIM. I would also desire to do things that would glorify His name rather than glorifying myself.
Being humble is also being able to lower than your pride and accepting your own mistake. Applying what Jesus say, consider others better than yourself. And having the effort to say, sorry when you have to and saying, “i need help” when you need to.
Being humble in serving is when you do things to glorify God and not yourself. For if you do, regardless of whether people appreciates your service or give you any recognition, you know deep down inside that your Father in Heaven is pleased with what you are doing….
