{"id":47347,"date":"2022-11-21T12:29:29","date_gmt":"2022-11-21T09:29:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=47347"},"modified":"2025-05-25T10:47:24","modified_gmt":"2025-05-25T07:47:24","slug":"what-is-confusion-of-the-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2022\/11\/21\/what-is-confusion-of-the-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is \u201cConfusion of the Heart\u201d?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Question:<\/strong> What does the phrase <\/span>\u201cconfusion of heart\u201d<\/em> mean, as found in the Bible?<\/span><\/p>\n

Answer:<\/strong>
\nIn Deuteronomy 28:28 <\/strong>, God warns:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe LORD will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of heart.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This verse is part of a list of curses that God said would come upon Israel if they refused to obey His commandments. Confusion of heart<\/em> is not simply emotional turmoil\u2014it is a divinely permitted condition where a person\u2019s mind becomes disoriented, unstable, and spiritually numb. The Hebrew word translated \u201cconfusion\u201d \u00a0implies bewilderment, astonishment, or stupefaction\u2014a deep, paralyzing mental and emotional fog.<\/p>\n

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1. Biblical Meaning and Experience<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This kind of confusion happens when someone is so overwhelmed by circumstances or divine judgment that they cannot think clearly. It’s like being in a state of shock. For instance, someone who narrowly escapes a life-threatening accident\u2014like nearly being hit by a truck\u2014might freeze, unable to process or act. That moment of panic and disorientation is a small taste of what \u201cconfusion of heart\u201d describes.<\/p>\n

But biblically, it goes deeper than panic. It refers to a spiritual<\/em> blindness\u2014a soul that cannot grasp truth, a heart that is numb to conviction, and a mind unable to respond to God.<\/p>\n

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2. Judgment of Hardness and Blindness<\/strong><\/h3>\n

God uses confusion of heart<\/em> as a judgment against hardened rebellion. In Romans 1:28<\/strong> Paul says:<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This shows that when people continually reject God’s truth, He may eventually give them over<\/em> to mental and moral confusion. It\u2019s not just natural chaos\u2014it\u2019s divine judgment. This condition is both psychological<\/em> and spiritual<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Similarly, 2 Thessalonians 2:10\u201311<\/strong> warns of a time when people who refuse to love the truth will be sent a delusion:<\/p>\n

\u201c…they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them aWhat Is \u201cConfusion of the Heart\u201d? strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false…\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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3. Spiritual Consequence: Numbness to the Gospel<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Those afflicted by this \u201cconfusion\u201d often become indifferent to the gospel. No matter how strong the preaching is, or how urgently they are warned about judgment or salvation, they mock or ignore it. They cannot feel conviction because their heart is under judgment.<\/p>\n

A clear example is in Genesis 19:14<\/strong> when Lot warned his sons-in-law about God\u2019s judgment on Sodom:<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

They thought he was joking\u2014even though destruction was imminent. That\u2019s confusion of heart in action.<\/p>\n

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4. Modern Relevance: Don\u2019t Ignore the Voice of God<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Today, many mock the gospel, saying things like, \u201cYou\u2019ve waited for Jesus 2,000 years\u2014where is He?\u201d But some of these people may already be under divine confusion. When someone repeatedly rejects truth, their heart can become spiritually numb<\/p>\n

Hebrews 3:15<\/strong> \u2013\u201cToday, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts\u2026\u201d<\/em>).<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you feel God speaking to you\u2014if you sense the need to repent, to follow Jesus, to surrender\u2014do not delay. Like Lot, you may have to leave the crowd and walk alone to obey God.<\/p>\n

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5. Value the Grace While It\u2019s Still Available<\/strong><\/h3>\n

God’s grace is not guaranteed to knock forever. As Isaiah 55:6 <\/strong>\u00a0says:<\/p>\n

\u201cSeek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Don\u2019t waste the opportunity to respond while your heart still feels conviction. Many have lost that sensitivity and are now living under the curse of confusion of heart\u2014unable to see truth, feel conviction, or find the way back.<\/p>\n

Confusion of heart<\/em> is not just stress or anxiety. It\u2019s a spiritual condition permitted by God as judgment for persistent disobedience. It affects both perception and discernment, and it blinds people to truth. If you feel God calling you to repent and believe in Christ, don\u2019t ignore Him. His voice may not always be there.<\/p>\n

The Lord is coming.<\/strong><\/p>\n