I Harden Hearts
As I talked to Father God this morning I kept hearing "I hardened hearts". I had been up for hours...awakened from a dream that troubled me. In the dream, I was returning and item to a store. I had this same dream several times before. Each time I would be near the checkout area, but would get distracted and walk down the aisles looking for well...nothing in particular...just picking up whatever caught my eye. The dream would then end with me walking through the store.
This morning, years later it concluded differently.
As I went to return the item, from a distance I could see the customer service area. It was clean...spotless even...no one was in line. I breathe a sigh of relief! NO WAIT! I would be able to get in and out quickly and go on my merry way. But as I got closer the customer service center began to look even emptier.
There were no customer service representatives behind the counters...infact there was NOTHING there....just a clean...very clean space with counters and nothingness.
I thought to myself..what just happend?? Where is the customer service area now??
I started to retrace my steps...I really wanted to return this item! As I passed the same areas I had walked past to reach the customer service area, I saw that a new one had been built. The line of people waiting was short but began to grow quickly before my eyes. The area was different though.. unclean, tacky.
It was crowded, the people were all differnt and looking for direction. Here's where it gets strange.
The path to the customer service area was fitted with wooden staircases. I remember thinking, "We will get splinters before we reach wherever we are going".
The staircase led to a floor below the original floor we were on...you could not see where you were headed...there was no opportunity for anyone to turn to go back because the area was only narrow enough for one way traffic.
Down the stairs we all continued. The stairs became steeper and steeper. The last flight became so steep that I literally had to turn around and climb down as if I were climbing down a ladder. When I finally got to the end of the staircase and arrived at the customer service area....I thought....Who would want to travel this path just to return an item?!
I woke up at that point..this is when I heard "I harden hearts" and the revelation of my dream began to unfold.
There was a season and area designed for the cleansing of hearts. It was set up for easy access, bright, clean, spotless...the perfect atmosphere or set up for God to move and be glorified in the cleansing....and the area is still there, but the season has come to a close.
He has hardened hearts.
In Exodus 7 there is an account were the Lord is forewarning Moses of what's to come. He tells Moses exactly what he is to do, but then He adds this in Exodus 7:3-5 NIV.
But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.”
For most of us, we hear this story and IMMEDIATELY become angry with the Pharaoh and label him the bad guy. But we overlook one thing..God orchestrated it ALL.
HE hardened Pharaoh's heart..Why? Because what was to transpire in Egypt and with His people would ultimately give HIM the glory.
Exodus 34:14 states this:
Do not worship any other god, for the Lord , whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
He is a jealous God.
Moses AND Pharaoh were simply vessels He used to prove His sovereignty.
Back to the dream....
He has hardened hearts in this season.
The season for "easy" repentance has come to a close. The "hardened heart" will be MUCH harder to eradicate making a repentant heart all the more difficult.
There is still a time of repentance allotted! God is a loving, merciful, and forgiving God always, and He loves us dearly.
He chastises those He loves (~Hebrews 12:6~). There will be consequences for heart choices and our responses will determine the severity.
He will require things from some of us that will seem humiliating but is only meant to humble.
Be encouraged dear ones. To the ones who have held on to Him in this season and have vowed to be pure in heart come what may. You will see Him move on your behalf like never before!
If your heart is in a hardened state, seek His face fervently. Ask Him to identify and break your heart for all the things that breaks His heart. Make the choice to not glory in flesh, but glory in the Lord and watch Him move on your behalf.
~ I Corinthians 1:26-31 NKJV ~
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord .”
Selah,
Rashena
