The human ear is incredibly adept at distinguishing voices. A parent can detect the cry of their child in a group of children and know how much they are hurt. You can hear a voice from years ago and recognize it even though you don’t recognize the person. We are also equipped to hear the voice of the Lord through the Holy Spirit. Do you hear His voice?
Hebrews 3:15
As it is said: Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
Notices the Signs
The writer of Hebrews is talking to those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ and are turning away from Him by hardening their hearts. This is a danger every Christian faces at times in their daily walk. Our heart is pulled towards another idol, and we run the risk of it hardening as we turn from Christ. During that process, you will hear a voice in your heart that will tell you what you are doing is wrong, and it will ask you to return to Jesus.
Don’t Harden Your Heart
The hardened heart is a picture of someone who has turned cold in their faith. Their heart has become hard because other interests have crowded the living God out. The Bible refers to these as idols, and the danger is that many of these are very subtle and have the appearance of being good for us. We can make working out or diet our god. We can even make family or friends a replacement for true fellowship with our Maker when we reject opportunities to worship Him. Possessions can become a god when we spend all of our time and money on them. These all add to the hardening process of our heart.
Do You Hear His Voice?
How do we overcome these idols and avoid them altogether? It starts with recognizing the idols and sin in our hearts and then repenting of them. It takes us listening to that soft still voice that is there to guide us. Do you hear His voice? If so, then act on it and return to Him.