Ps 95:8 The Lord says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness.
Have you ever met someone who was not open to new things and completely resistant to change? They may be egocentric with an inability to understand another person’s view or opinion as different from their own. They become willful. Is this a bad thing? Being stubborn can be if it hardens your heart.
A hardened heart is as useless now as it was in ancient times. In this case, it was resistance to God’s will that caused the Israelite’s hearts to become hardened. It didn’t happen overnight. A series of conscious choices to disregard God’s plan for their lives hardened their hearts. Without God’s guidance, we become determined to do whatever we want without respect for anything God has done for us in the past. We may find it impossible to turn back to God. Praise God! There is nothing impossible for him. Pray. Ask God to show you how to deal with the person. Start a dialog about the pros and cons of the circumstances regarding their opinion. Be patient and flexible. Be kind. Pray for God to soften their hearts and open their mind.
This approach has worked for me in the past, and I continue this prayer for many situations in my life today. Take a deep breath, then listen to God’s voice to strengthen you through difficult times. This not only gives you clarity, but also peace that God is the one in control.
Jena Kleinpeter 