Searching The Heart

Psalm 139

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Hebrews 10:14

He has made perfect forever those who are made Holy

It is the lack of heart searching that is the cause of so much sin not only in my own life but in so many Christians. For, when a person takes the time to completely search their heart they will be instantly humbled. Too often we look at our lives from a panoramic view and focus on the outward sin but fail to recognize the inward motives of the heart from which precede all our actions. We will often remember the hateful thing we said to someone and repent of this and then go on our way as if everything is good. It's like a sick person who is constantly taking pain killers to numb the pain but fails to fix what causes the pain. Sin has a way of creeping in and staying by keeping us focused on our outward actions while ignoring the inward condition.

Think about all the times someone said something to you and you were offended. Is that not a sign of pride? Is it not pride that tells you that you don't deserve to be treated this way or that way and you deserve better? Is it not pride that says you should be offended and not extend the same forgiveness and mercy shown to you by God?

It is the most uncomfortable thing to sit for an hour or two and think back over the past day, week, month and even year and search the motives of your heart in every area of life. I can't think of anything I put off more and makes me so uncomfortable. Yet I am aware that this is the most common reason I fall so short of the glory of God. It is not the outward sins that should be the focus, those are only an outward sign of an inward problem. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks and from the evil in a man's heart proceeds evil things.

Hebrews 3
As has just been said, "today if you hear his voice do not harden you hearts"

04-24-2008 23:51

This article hasn't been commented yet.