Don’t Overload Yourself

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. Today, if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, it is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. (Psalms 95:6-11)

Thought For Today:

I've observed that having a hard heart is a result of our own actions, rather than anyone else's. Some individuals who spend excessively and make purchases they cannot afford may become upset, distressed, and irritable towards others. They create barriers around their hearts, making it difficult for others to assist them. Eventually, they begin to blame others for their own actions, pointing fingers at the wealthy, their upbringing, or even the government, rather than taking responsibility for their own mistakes. According to the psalmist, Israel's disbelief caused them to harden their hearts and ultimately prevented them from entering the Promise Land. It was their own doing, as they could have entered if they had just believed. However, their lack of faith caused them to tempt God and miss out on their promise. When we allow things like prejudice, distress, envy, and jealousy to harden our hearts, it only hurts us, not others. Jesus warned us not to harden our hearts, as it affects the soil where the Word is sown. If our hearts are hardened, the devil will snatch away the Word, the world will choke it out of us, and the trials of life will uproot it. Therefore, we should keep our hearts soft and open to receive God's Word. When we worship, it is important to ensure our hearts are right so that we don't miss out on our promises.