Do you have a hardened heart?

Exodus 4:21
But I will make him stubborn so he will not let the people go.

This is what God told Moses regarding Pharaoh's response to Moses and Aaron. As we read through Exodus we see God hardening Pharaoh's heart many, many times and that lead me to ask the question...

WHY?

Well what would have happened if Pharaoh would have said, "Woah, that's pretty impressive. Staff turning into a snake and all. Sure why don't you go and take your people out into the wilderness to praise your God."

God tells us that everything we do is for His glory. I believe, (and let me remind you that i'm no theologian) that God sometimes needs us to wrestle through tough times in order for us to witness His full potential and power. If Pharaoh would have given in right away we would not have been able to see a sampling of God's power.

What if God granted your every prayer like some sort of genii right when you asked? Well you wouldn't learn to be patient and trust in His plan and His timing in every area of your life. God can harden your heart in order to show those around us Gods full potential. If we are struggling financially and the human wisdom of this world is saying we've failed, imagine how much greater the Glory to our God when things fall in place? God's puzzle is more complex and complete than we can begin to imagine. I love it when I am in a position to witness pieces of His plan fall into place. I don't like it so much when those pieces affect my life, but i'm working on it!!; because we need to glorify Him in all seasons.

God answers this question here in Exodus 10, verses 1-2:

Exodus 10:1-2
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Return to Pharaoh and again make your demands. I have made him and his officials stubborn so I can continue to display my power by performing miraculous signs among them. 2 You will be able to tell wonderful stories to your children and grandchildren about the marvelous things I am doing among the Egyptians to prove that I am the Lord."

Think of the people around you that don't believe in God, now think of your lives. How does your life prove that the God you worship is the one true Lord? I know that there are things in your life that prove God is real, that God is alive, and that God is active in your lives just as He was in the lives of the people we read about in our bibles.

Don't be ashamed to speak of His glory even if you don't understand everything that's going on. Let your struggles and victories be stories to those around us so that He can be glorified. I've heard many people say, "it's a miracle i'm alive" or, " if you only new what I had to go through to get here you'd be surprised." Well share with the world how God got you to here and let them be surprised!!

God Bless,

Nathan