How can we avoid hardening our hearts like Pharaoh in Exodus 14:6? setting the scene Exodus 14:6 states, “So Pharaoh prepared his chariot and took his army with him”. Even after witnessing ten devastating plagues and releasing Israel, Pharaoh’s heart remained stubborn. One more time he chooses his own will over God’s clear command, saddling up for a doomed pursuit. His tragic example invites us to examine our own hearts and ask how to stay soft and responsive to the Lord. signs of a hardening heart • Repeatedly ignoring God’s clear word (Exodus 7–12). • Relying on human strength or resources instead of God’s promises (Exodus 14:6). • Reacting to loss or discomfort with resentment rather than repentance (Exodus 10:16–20). • Justifying partial obedience—letting Israel go, then chasing them (Exodus 14:5-6). • Becoming desensitized to miraculous interventions meant to awaken faith (Exodus 8:19; 9:20-21). practices that keep our hearts tender • Quick obedience—respond immediately when Scripture or the Holy Spirit convicts. • Daily Scripture intake—so God’s voice stays fresh and familiar (Psalm 119:11). • Honest confession—bring sins into the light before they calcify (1 John 1:9). • Humility in success—acknowledge God as source, preventing self-reliance (Deuteronomy 8:11-14). • Gratitude—regularly recount God’s mercies to discourage grumbling (Psalm 103:2). • Serving others—softens self-centeredness that fuels stubbornness (Galatians 5:13). scriptures that reinforce a soft heart • Hebrews 3:7-8: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts …” • Proverbs 4:23: “Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” • Ezekiel 36:26: “I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” • James 1:22: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” • Psalm 95:8: “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah …” • 1 Samuel 15:22: “Obedience is better than sacrifice …” daily checkpoints for staying responsive 1. Am I surrendering today’s agenda to God, or insisting on my own? 2. Did I act on the last truth God showed me, or shelve it? 3. Have I thanked God specifically for His recent work in my life? 4. Is there anyone I need to forgive or seek forgiveness from? 5. Do my plans depend on God’s power or merely my abilities? closing thoughts Pharaoh’s hardened heart led him to a watery grave. Our safeguard is continual surrender: hearing God’s voice, obeying promptly, and nurturing a pliable spirit through Scripture, humility, and gratitude. When we guard our hearts in these ways, we avoid Pharaoh’s path and walk in the freedom and favor God intends. |
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