But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.

- Exodus 8:15

In today’s passage, we see Pharaoh hardening his heart against the Lord, even in the face of miracles.

This was who Pharaoh was: hard-hearted. This was not a new direction for him. He was cynical about God and about the Hebrew people. Over and over again throughout this story, Pharaoh would re-dig-in, harden his heart and refuse to obey the Lord.

We all know people whose heart’s trajectory is toward the cynical. Maybe we know this tendency is somewhere within us. We miss opportunities to know God and experience the softening of our hearts, preferring cynicism to faith.

We live in a world where cynicism is often seen as wisdom and where people pride themselves on not being “taken.” To this world, the posture of faith can be seen as naïve, shallow or irrational. But hard-heartedness hides behind much of this cynicism.

Perhaps it is time to become cynical about our own cynicism. It would appear to be a rather worthless tool to discover anything that is worthwhile, true, or good—it can’t seem to find anything worth living for or dying for. It is especially inept at receiving or giving love.

Today, take a moment to examine your heart.

One of the biblical writers tells us to guard our hearts because they are the wellsprings of life. Keep a pulse on your heart today. Where is cynicism entering your heart? Where and in what situations do you find yourself refusing to love, serve or forgive? With whom are you hard-hearted?

Ask God to soften your heart and to protect it from cynicism today.