“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…" (Hebrews 3:15)

The book of Hebrews does not whisper its warnings. It declares them with urgency. Repeatedly, the Spirit says to us, “Do not harden your hearts.” It’s a phrase pulled from Psalm 95, echoing through the wilderness generation that perished outside the Promised Land. And yet, it’s not ancient history. It’s present tense: *Today*, if you hear his voice…

That word—*today*—ought to still our steps. It means this is not just a word for Israel back then, but a word for the church right now. The warning is for those who walk closely with God's people, who participate in worship, who have heard the gospel many times. And still, the temptation remains: the slow callous forming over the heart, the quiet drift from trust to presumption, from faith to familiarity.

What Does a Hardened Heart Look Like?

A hardened heart is not always hostile. Sometimes it’s just indifferent. It’s when the Word of God lands lightly instead of cutting deeply. It’s when conviction fades into defensiveness. It’s when obedience becomes delayed or partial. It’s when you stop listening to the voice of God because you’ve grown used to tuning Him out.

Hebrews tells us that this happens “by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13). Sin does not announce itself with a warning label. It sneaks in, cloaked in justifications and small compromises. Over time, those compromises calcify. The heart—once soft to God’s Word—grows resistant, like clay that has dried too long in the sun.

Why This Warning Still Matters

We live in an age where everything is vying for our attention—newsfeeds, notifications, and noise. In such a world, the voice of God can seem quiet. But He *is* speaking. Through His Word, by His Spirit, through His people. The real danger is not that we can’t hear Him. The danger is that we hear, and choose not to respond.

Hebrews is brutally honest: not everyone who starts the race finishes it. That’s not to frighten the sincere believer, but to call the complacent one to wake up. To persevere in faith is to keep your heart soft. To listen with urgency. To exhort one another daily. The writer doesn’t say, “Try harder.” He says, “Hold fast.” Keep clinging to Jesus.

How to Keep a Soft Heart

The solution isn’t found in willpower, but in *daily surrender*. Here’s what that looks like:

• Listen carefully -- Let Scripture have your full attention. Read not just to inform your mind, but to expose your heart.

• Confess quickly -- Don’t let sin linger. Bring it into the light. Hardened hearts are formed by layers of unconfessed sin.

• Encourage one another -- Hebrews says we need daily exhortation. Community is one of the Spirit’s main tools for heart-softening.

• Trust Christ -- Ultimately, our hope is not in the strength of our grip, but in the One who holds us fast. Look to Jesus, the Great High Priest, who intercedes for us with perfect sympathy.

Today, Not Tomorrow

There’s a quiet urgency in the word “today.” The window of repentance is open now, but it doesn’t stay open forever. If God is speaking to you—through His Word, His people, or His Spirit—don’t delay.

Don’t assume your heart will always be this tender.

Don’t assume you’ll always *want* to return.

The best time to soften your heart before God is not tomorrow. It’s today.