Hardened heart

And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put in your power, but I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. ~ Exodus 4:21

I don't know about you, but most of the time, I don't need God to harden my heart. I'm really good at doing it myself.

So this passage troubled me for many years. Why would God harden Pharaoh's heart? What was the goal? It seemed awfully unfair to the Hebrew people and Moses.

Because I think honestly that Pharaoh didn't need any help in hardening his heart. He probably was just as good at doing it himself as I am.

I'm still pretty unsure about whether God would do this specifically or not, but I am sure that it doesn't take much for our hearts to harden.

Collectively and individually hearts harden - against enemies, against immigrants, against prisoners, against those who think and believe differently from us.

It took a lot before Pharaoh's heart loosened up a bit - and even then it didn't last. He got stuck in a cycle of anger and vengeance.

So how do we get unstuck when anger and hatred seem to have us in their throes? Can we trust instead that God desires an open heart? A heart of flesh? A heart that is meant for love?

That rather than try to figure out if or how God hardens a heart, instead ask for God to open one up?

God, when my heart hardens, rather than blame anyone else, make me see the love instead that you call me to. Amen