A Hard Heart: How Does God Soften It?

“But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the Lord had said” Exodus 8: 15.

The second of the ten plagues God brought upon Pharaoh for refusing to let His people go involved an overwhelming infestation of frogs. There was to be no place in Egypt where the frogs were not present in large numbers.

To read the passage for context, click here.

But God delivered him when Moses prayed for him.

How Does God Soften a Heart?

The lovingkindness of the Lord is intended to bring us to repentance (Romans 2:4). So, when Pharaoh got relief from the plague of frogs because of God’s mercy and kindness, it should’ve softened his heart and caused him to yield.

But instead, he hardened his heart.

God has two powerful ways to soften a person’s heart.

Lovingkindness or Judgment?

The first is with his lovingkindness. His desire is that His goodness toward us would bring us to repentance. This is a picture of the rain that falls on the hard ground to soften it. And prepare it for planting.

But when someone’s heart is so hard that the rain just runs off before it has a chance to soak in and soften it, then it must be plowed or tilled.

Whereas rain is a picture of the Holy Spirit and God’s lovingkindness, plowing or tilling is a picture of judgment. If we don’t allow our hearts to be softened by the sweet rain of the Holy Spirit, He has no choice but to plow the hard ground with painful trials.

As difficult as this is, it’s by far better than just leaving the ground dry, hard and fallow. If the ground is softened, whether by rain or plowing (or tilling), it can be useful and fruitful and fulfill its purpose.

But if it’s left fallow, it will never be of any use or have value or purpose.

God was trying to soften Pharaoh’s heart both ways. He brought judgment, but then when Pharaoh repented and relented, He brought relief.

The plagues represent the plowing (or tilling), and the relief and deliverance from the plagues represent the rain.

The Easy Way or The Hard Way

We can learn the easy way, or we can learn the hard way. God gives a choice. But because He knows there’s nothing worse than remaining hard, dry, fallow and useless, He will bring painful judgments if necessary.

This way the seed of His word (Luke 8: 11) can be sown and grow and mature and bear fruit. Everything God does is out of love with redemption in mind.

To read another post related to A Hard Heat: How Does God Soften It? see Put Your Trust in the Lord and He will Rescue You.