In Jeremiah 18 & 19, God gives an illustration of the potter and the clay. If the clay is soft and willing, God has the power to re-create it. God wants to re-create every heart anew in Him. The choice is ours to let Him mold our hearts. Clay is not beautiful until the hands, thoughts, and plans of the Potter form it. The Potter creates the masterpiece. We have to choose to submit and let Him. If the masterpiece doesn't submit and serve the Master, all that's left is pieces. God can soften hardened hearts, but also knows when a hard heart will no longer allow softening. He desperately wants to pull everyone out of the muddy paths and onto His highway. He is just waiting for us to reach our hand to Him to do so.