During Sunday worship, the pastor explained about ‘hardening the heart.’ One of the main causes mentioned was ‘secret sin,’ prompting me to reflect on what hidden sins I might have and spend time repenting. The explanation that hardening of the heart begins with sin struck a chord. Realizing especially that our hearts harden when we hear God’s word but fail to act on it, I resolved to no longer stop at merely hearing the word, but to become someone who puts it into practice in my life.

Recently, I’ve been listening to the audiobook of Robert Greene’s The Laws of Human Nature. I’m reminded anew that no matter how intricately we analyze and try to understand human nature, it’s useless unless we apply that understanding to ourselves to bring about change. Reading such books, I deeply reflected on how wrong it is to use their content as a yardstick to judge and condemn others instead of holding it up to myself.

A prime historical example of a stubborn heart is Pharaoh of Egypt. Though God commanded him through Moses to release the Israelites, he stubbornly refused to obey, persisting in his own ways until he faced the tragedy of losing even his most beloved son. I pray I will not follow Pharaoh’s path, who clung to his stubbornness even in the face of immense disaster and ultimately lost everything. I resolve to quickly recognize my wrongdoing, soften my heart, and live a life obedient to God’s will.