When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. Exodus 9:24
During times that are disastrous or difficult, people will claim that they will do nearly anything and everything just to get out of the hard times. Promises will be made to clear the path out of danger.
Yet, when the danger or disaster is over, the promises are forgotten, and their hearts are hardened. They go back to what was done before, which may have brought on the danger in the first place.
God had poured down hail and rain upon the Egyptians, causing much damage, due to Pharaoh refusing to let the Israelites go. He ‘repented’ of his sin, but as soon as it stopped hailing, he hardened his heart and sinned again, not letting the Israelites go.
Believers often know what God requires of them and His commands, but do not want to obey them, wanting to do their own thing. Choosing to follow the ways of the world, many will live in sin, rather than truly following God, though claiming to believe in God.
This is something that continues until there is some great disaster or trouble in their lives. Immediately upon getting hit by trouble, many will cry out to God, promising to obey Him and do what He says to do, if He will remove the trouble. As soon as the trouble is over, they forget their promise and step back into their sin again.
Acting in this way is treading upon the grace of God and treating it with contempt. It is ignoring the lengths to which Jesus went to remove the sin and meet one’s needs.
True believers will hold to their word and flee all sin, obeying God with their whole lives. They will not allow their hearts to be hardened again.
Throughout your life there will be times of trouble and hardships. These times can and will be extremely difficult.
As you cry out to God for help, remember your prayers and promises to God. He is there to help you, but His first goal is to get you away from all sin, not to make a way for you to sin more.
Do not allow your heart to be hardened and continue in sin against God. Have a softened heart that follows after God, not sin.
Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know God’s hand at work in your life; that you will call out to God in times of trouble; that God will strengthen you to not harden your heart; and that you will obey God and flee all sin.
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