Hardly

(Pro 28:14 KJV) Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

I am currently reading through Exodus and the plagues against Egypt.  If you are familiar with the passages you will remember that Pharaoh repeatedly “hardened” (3513) and “hardened” (2388) his heart.  Two different Hebrew words are used in Exodus 9:34 and 9:35.  The word used here, (7185), is again another.  

There are many ways you can harden your heart.  Some words seem to mean to strengthen, like when you clench a fist.  Others mean to make heavy.  Here it means to become severe and harsh.  Although we can recognize times that fear can be beneficial, hardening usually is a sense of being insensitive to what requires sensitivity.   

So?  We often put up our guard because we are afraid of being hurt.  Maybe we need to be more willing to suffer if it will make us more supportive of those around us.