Hardening of Heart

The condition of many people’s hearts regarding faith is such that they have either grown tired of hearing the same thing again and again, or they have been living in sin, so that their hearts are no longer responsive to God. 

The Bible defines a hardened heart as one that persistently resists the voice of God, one that does not accept correction or live by the conviction of God’s truth as revealed in Scripture. A good example of someone with a hardened heart in Scripture is Pharaoh. He resisted the will of God and, as a result, faced an inevitable downfall, as is the case with many nations that resisted God (Nahum 1:9). God desires that we keep a teachable heart, ready to receive his rebuke and correction. The hardening of hearts leads to God’s judgment (Ezekiel 36:22-24). The heart of the nation of Judah was hardened by their repeated sins, time and again, which drew down God’s judgment.

Causes of a Hardened Heart

The following are causes of a hardened heart.

1. The Deceitfulness of Sin: Sin gradually numbs spiritual sensitivity. We are cautioned in Hebrews to avoid a sinful heart that turns away from God. The deceitfulness of sin hardens hearts (Hebrews 3:12-13). Yet, it all begins within the heart of man since the heart of man is deceitful above all things, and only God can discern it (Jeremiah 17:9). We all have inner desires that constantly battle within us; these desires entice us, and, after conception, they give birth to sin, which eventually leads to death (James 1:14-15).
2. Pride and Self-reliance: The pride of the wicked keeps them from seeking the face of God, as they assert that he does not exist (Psalm 10:4). The proud seek to protect their face from the public, and they would rather live in sin than turn to God in repentance. Pride keeps people from submitting to God and prevents true repentance (Proverbs 16:18 and James 4:6). In addition, pride gives some people the illusion of independence from God. They feel they can live without God, and thus, self-reliance plays a critical role in hardening many hearts.
3. Repeated Rejection of God’s Voice: God is always speaking to us through his word, his servants, and through the Holy Spirit, reminding us each time of his holy law. When we ignore the convictions we have received from Scripture, our hearts get hardened over time. Zechariah 7:11–12 speaks of the pre-exilic Israelites’ stubbornness and disobedience to the law of the Lord, shutting their ears and hardening their hearts like a flint. They ignored God’s voice through the prophets, leading to divine judgment. Jesus spoke in parables because of the hardness of many people’s hearts (Matthew 13:14–15).
4. Unbelief: In the Garden of Eden, the devil made Eve doubt God’s word. When we constantly doubt and refuse to trust what God says, our hearts harden. Hebrews 3:18–19 warns against the hardening of the heart, reminding us that those who disobey will not enter rest. Despite the many miracles that Jesus performed, many Jews still doubted him, leading to the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 53:1 (John 12:37–40).

Signs of a Hardened Heart

Perhaps you are wondering how to know if our hearts are hardened or how to identify a hardened heart.  

1. Resistance to Correction: The first sign of a hardened heart is being more comfortable in one’s sin than in what God expects. Do you find yourself resisting correction, whether from fellow believers or from God’s word in your daily devotions? This is one of the marks of a hardened heart. If you continue in stubbornness, the Bible says you will eventually be destroyed (Proverbs 29:1)
2. Loss of Spiritual Sensitivity: This refers to a lack of remorse after sinning and a loss of desire to commune with God (Ephesians 4:19). When one loses spiritual sensitivity, they surrender themselves to all kinds of wickedness. This also results in a conscience so seared as with a hot iron (1 Timothy 4:2). May God help us not to be comfortable in our sin; may we be highly sensitized to hate what God hates and only love that which honors him.  
3. Hearing the Word Without Response: Many of us have been to church on Sundays without numbers. Even so, how do you respond to the sermons being preached? The Bible, in James 1:22, calls us not to be mere listeners of the word and thereby deceive ourselves, but to do what it says. Some hearts that might be in the hardened category are sadly not ready to receive the seed of the word and bear fruit (Luke 8:12).

Consequences of a Hardened Heart

1. Separation from God: The main cause of separation from God is sin (Isaiah 59:2). The more we fall into sin, the more we part from God; the harder our hearts grow, the more we struggle in our prayer life and Bible study, and eventually, the joy of salvation fades.
2. Spiritual Blindness: The devil takes a foothold when we live in sin, leading to spiritual blindness in which we cannot see the light of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4). This hardens our hearts, keeping us in deep darkness. Unless Christ mercifully saves us, we are doomed to destruction.
3. Divine Judgment: If we continue living in sin, we attract God’s imminent judgment—persistence in a sinful lifestyle results from a hardened heart. The scriptures note that there is no further sacrifice for sin if we continue in our sinful lives, and that what awaits us is only harsh judgment (Hebrews 10:26–27; Romans 1:24–28).

Can the Hardened Heart Be Softened?

By his Grace, God has promised to give his people a new heart and the Holy Spirit, who shall enable them to keep his commands (Ezekiel 11:19, Ezekiel 36:26). To receive such a heart, we are called to repent of our sins (Acts 3:19). We must accept that we are weak and cry out to the Savior. Living in denial will only bring more tribulation. Restoration begins when we humble ourselves and return to God.

After turning to God, we are expected to practice spiritual disciplines, such as prayer, fellowship, and the study of God’s word. The word of God can break hardened hearts. It is like fire and a hammer that breaks rocks (Jeremiah 23:29). It is sharper than any two-edged sword and can penetrate the innermost parts of the human heart, bringing about true transformation (Hebrews 4:12).

As we practice the spiritual disciplines, the Holy Spirit progressively makes us more like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). He convicts, renews, and reminds us of Scriptural truths (John 16:8, Titus 3:5). The Bible calls us to guard our hearts with all diligence (Proverbs 4:23). Therefore, let us daily seek to hear God’s voice to avoid having hardened hearts (Hebrews 3:15, Psalm 119:11). Let us also commit to the discipline of having fellowship with other believers as we keep each other accountable. This will keep us from drifting and become a source of encouragement in our spiritual walk (Hebrews 10:24–25). Instead of persisting in sin whenever you fall, run to God in repentance, for he will not cast away anyone with a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:16). His arms are surely wide open for you!