Hope for the Hard Heart

“Those on the rock are the ones who, when they hear, receive the Word with joy. And these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.” (Luke 8:13)

We all get frustrated when we tell others of Jesus, and they fall away. They receive the Word of God with joy, but don’t follow through or fail in faithful practices.  This Scripture tells us what the problem is. They believe. They receive the Word and joyously. But after a while, they pitter out. They stop going to church and eventually stop the work of Christian discipline in their lives like Bible reading and prayer. They still believe, but don’t trouble themselves to continue in Christian discipline and fellowship. Why is that? We don’t understand. We think that maybe they didn’t really believe or that they only went through the motions. But the Word of God tells us that they had no root.

To be rooted in something means to be strongly influenced in your soul with it. One’s soul is the mind, will and emotions. In order for the mind to be rooted in something, it must have understood. So not being rooted in the Lord is a failure to understand the seriousness of the consequences of sin and the grandeur gesture of mercy God has provided in the Gospel. Because they had no understanding of the Gospel, the emotional impact wasn’t made and so the heart isn’t moved to persevere in the face of temptation. The soul is not fully committed and fails to keep them in the faith. They return to their own resources for help, strength and comfort.

When one comes to the Lord, complete surrender to the Lord is necessary. Sometimes there are parts of our lives we don’t want to surrender. If it’s a sin one doesn’t want to surrender, then that person is still ruler of their lives. “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) Jesus must be the ruler of our lives. Complete surrender to Him is essential. Complete submission to Him as Lord is necessary to get rooted. Doubt may prevent them from being rooted in the Gospel and in Jesus. The Gospel is wonderful. The definition of the word gospel is it’s better than good news. And it’s hard for people to believe that it can be true, and that God can be so good. The Word says they believe for a while, but when temptation comes, they choose to fall away.

The Word of God tells us that the seed of the Gospel fell on the rocks. These are those whose hearts are hardened. They want the Lord, but their hearts cannot take root in the Gospel because their hearts are not ready for the Gospel. Luke writes about how the Jews in Rome gave Paul an audience to tell them about Jesus. Luke writes, “And some indeed believed the things that were said, others did not believe.” (Acts 28:24) Paul continues to speak to them referring to the prophecy of Isaiah. “And disagreeing with one another, they were let go, Paul saying one word: Well did the Holy Spirit speak through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, saying, "Go to this people and say: Hearing you shall hear and shall not understand; and seeing you shall see and not perceive. For the heart of this people was fattened, and they have heard with their ears dully; and they closed their eyes; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." Therefore be it known to you that the salvation of God is sent to the nations, and they will hear. And he having said these words, the Jews departed, having much discussion amongst themselves.” (Acts 28:25-29) A hardened heart cannot receive the Truth of the Gospel.

So what is our responsibility before God for those we recognize as having hard hearts? They have heard the Gospel. They have believed but have failed to flourish in the Lord. They have returned to their former lives. We can pray for God to soften their hearts so that the Word of Truth they hear will take root and bear fruit. We can pray for the Lord to open their spiritual eyes and ears of understanding so they can understand what they hear, be converted and be healed. We can also pray for God’s mercy on their lives because it’s God’s mercy that will act in their behalf to save them. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loved us (even when we were dead in sins) has made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved), and has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-7)

It may seem that those whose hearts are hardened, who have no root and on whom the Word has fallen on rock, will come to destruction. Paul wrote, “But according to your hardness and your impenitent heart, do you treasure up wrath for yourself in a day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,” (Romans 2:5). But we live in a time of mercy and grace. Until they take their last breath, there is hope that they will repent. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) We can have hope for them. We can intercede for them and make holy war for their souls.