Romans 11:7-10

Romans 11:7-10
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I'll freely admit it -- I don't understand this.  I don't understand why God would give anyone eyes not to see grace, ears not to hear the Gospel.  It doesn't make sense.
  I understand how some people would trip up on the stumbling blocks, unwilling to accept the fact that they cannot earn the grace of God, unable to shift their minds to the point that God's grace is unattainable except as a gift, unreachable no matter how much merit they may believe themselves to have.  That makes sense, because I understand pride well.
  But I can't quite understand why God would make anyone unable or unwilling to hear the Gospel.  It's the same reason I struggle to understand why God hardened Pharaoh's heart -- I understand the greater message, but wrestle with the implications for that particular individual.
  I don't understand the Gospel, but I trust the God who stands behind it, and so I approach the Gospel with humility, hoping to one day see this clearly.