How can we ensure our hearts don't become hardened like in Ezekiel 9:9? Setting the Scene in Ezekiel 9:9 “He answered me, ‘The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed, and the city is full of perversity. For they say, “The LORD has forsaken the land; the LORD does not see.”’ (Ezekiel 9:9) Israel’s tragedy was not merely external violence and immorality; it was an inner conviction that God no longer cared or noticed. When people dismiss God’s omnipresence and justice, their hearts calcify. Because God’s Word is absolutely true in every detail, we can trust that the warning is literal and still relevant. Recognizing the Path to a Hardened Heart • Unbelief: “They say, ‘The LORD does not see.’” • Desensitization to sin: bloodshed and perversity became normal. • Self-reliance: turning from God’s standard to personal preference. • Delay in repentance: “he who hardens his heart falls into trouble” (Proverbs 28:14). • Isolation from godly voices: “exhort one another every day… so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:12-13). Practical Steps to Keep Our Hearts Soft • Stay convinced God sees everything. His omniscience is not abstract; it is literal reality. • Daily Scripture intake—letting the Word expose motives (Hebrews 4:12). • Quick, honest confession (1 John 1:9). • Regular fellowship and accountability (Hebrews 10:24-25). • Obedient response to what God shows—“Be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). • Cultivate reverent fear: “Blessed is the man who is always reverent” (Proverbs 28:14). • Guard the mind by rejecting cultural compromise (Romans 12:2). • Serve others; a self-giving posture keeps pride in check (Mark 10:45). A Daily Heart-Check List 1. Invite God’s searchlight: “Search me, O God… See if there is any offensive way in me” (Psalm 139:23-24). 2. Ask, “Am I excusing any known sin?” 3. Reaffirm, “Lord, You see and You care.” 4. Choose immediate obedience to the last truth learned. 5. Speak encouragement to another believer—this softens both hearts (Hebrews 3:13). Encouraging Promises for Soft Hearts • “I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26). • “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15)—God still speaks today. • “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart… You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). Staying sensitive to God is not complicated; it is consistent reliance on the living, all-seeing Lord who has preserved His Word without error and calls us to believe and obey it literally. |
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