Professional agriculturists understand the importance of soil types and conditions as it relates to the quality of their harvest. They take extreme care and responsibility in selecting, testing and implementing best practices to ensure the soil on their land is fertile. Farmers in biblical times understood this very well also, which is why Jesus used the Parable of the Sower to unveil to them a deeper spiritual truth that relates closely to the relationship between a seed and the soil in which it is planted.

In Luke 8:5, Jesus describes one of the soil types as that of a path, stating, “As he [the sower] was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up.” He then explains this metaphor to mean, “those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved” (Lk 8:12). One of Satan’s main objective is to steal the very word of God that is sown in our life and a hard heart makes it very easy for him to do so.

In the Bible, the heart is understood to represent one’s whole being where the mind, conscience, emotion, understanding, moral character, and decision-making ability all reside. This is why salvation is a matter of the heart and Satan’s primary target. It needs to be addressed and treated with the utmost diligence. Proverbs 4:23 reminds us of this, as it states, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” When the condition of our heart is hardened like that of a trodden down path, we will not see the results of a changed life.

A hard heart is simply unresponsive and indifferent to the spiritual nature of God’s word. Romans 8:7 states, “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” As absurd as it sounds, a person with a hardened heart may be attending church regularly, watching sermons and engaging in theological discussions and still be experiencing little change in their life in matters of peace, joy, and fulfillment. Somewhere in their heart the soil is not fertile. If they do not have a breakthrough in those areas, they will not see transformation.

There are many contributing factor to a hardened heart such as:

1. Pride – We see this depicted in Daniel 5:20-21 in the life of King Nebuchadnezzar who, “became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory … until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.” A prideful heart is deceived in believing that its way is superior to God’s way. Not honoring God in reverence and obedience is the ultimate act of pride that hardens the heart.

2. Offense – While it may be natural to feel angry and disheartened when an injustice has occurred to us, dwelling and festering on that offense with unforgiveness will not only contaminate our heart but render it hardened for when someone is even trying to do good to us. Proverbs 19:11 states, “Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.”

3. Disappointment – Waiting for something you earnestly desired to happen in your life can cause you to lose hope and become hardened to the promises of God. As Proverbs 13:12 states, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” It’s very important that we do not allow a lack of patience or past disappointments to steal our harvest that is yet to be fulfilled.

4. Sin – Continual unrepentant sin causes a heart to grow callous and unresponsive to God’s word. We have to take extreme caution to not allow it to poison us. The apostle Paul warns us of this by saying, “Christian brothers, be careful that not one of you has a heart so bad that it will not believe and will turn away from the living God.  Help each other. Speak day after day to each other while it is still today so your heart will not become hard by being fooled by sin” (Heb 3:12-13)

Though there are many symptoms and contributing factors to a hardened heart, God does give us a remedy. Jeremiah 4:3-4 states, “Break up your ground which has not been planted, and do not plant seeds among thorns. Set yourselves apart to the Lord and put away the flesh from your heart.” Jeremiah uses the same metaphor to describe our hearts as Jesus did and urges us to break up the areas of our hearts that have hardened.

This is accomplished by first recognizing that we have some hardened areas in our life that need to be addressed. Whether it is pride, unforgiveness, sin, or some disappointment, we need to turn our hearts away from such things and repent. When we voluntarily and willing open up and break up those areas and allow God’s word to penetrate them, there may be some pain that surfaces, but God will not only heal the pain but will cause those same areas to flourish.