Divine Direction: Discerning the Voice of God in a Data-Driven WorldSample

Don't Harden Your Heart

It wasn’t God’s desire that the Israelites perished in the wilderness. God showed them signs and wonders, diverse miracles, manna falling from heaven, water from the rock, quails falling from the sky, and he parted the Red Sea, among others. Yet, none of these appealed to the Israelites. The memories of their past pain and trauma were too strong for faith to take root. They would rather go back to a known suffering than pursue the promise of an unseen ‘paradise’, the Canaan land.

Exodus 14:11 NLT "And they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt?" Beloved, it takes faith to follow God’s leading.

Our past memories and experiences are powerful; they can condition our minds and set the tone for our faith. However, God’s grace is new every morning. Yesterday’s pain or setback is not an indication of what tomorrow holds. Let go of those painful memories. God cannot lead you forward if you mentally keep going backwards.

Sometimes, due to our past experience with people, we build walls around our lives but disguise them as privacy. Cheer up. God is bringing new people into your life. Make room in your heart to be loved again, and see the good in people irrespective of their shortcomings.

Life may have dealt you with a terrible hand. Nonetheless, do not harden your heart towards God. God is bigger than your experiences, and He’s bigger than your past. Job 13:15, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him...”

We have to give up our idea of how we believe our life should turn out. Contrary to what many self-help books may teach, your life is not about you; it’s about God. You can’t fit God into your plan, he fits you into His plan. The earlier we submit to His will, the better.

Isaiah 45:9, “What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?”

You’ve got to let go of control. Let God be the captain. Give room for the transcendence. When God lead, don't harden your heart.