Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalms 139:23-24 (NIV)
We would all do well to search our own hearts, laboring to see what kinds of strongholds Satan and self may have in them. They are really not too hard to discover, Amen? What is our go to when we are pricked or when we are at ease? Both extremes often demonstrate what the heart truly loves and protects. There are many corruptions within our natural temperaments and frames – somewhat easy to discover when we are exposed to extremes. When all is rocking along status quo, we can often convince ourselves and others that we are not too prone to wander or fall – when indeed we all are. And we are never too quickly to fall than when we are wallowing in ease and comfort. When we let our guards down and quit watching our hearts with vigilance, we are left with an open door of vulnerability to Satan and self. We can so often be our own worst enemies - convincing and justifying ourselves that we are really not too bad. Scripture tells us in Jeremiah 17:9- 10 (NIV): “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? ‘I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.’”
Some seek to conceal and justify with excuses the evils found in their own hearts in lieu of seeking to destroy them (before they destroy us) through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit within every believer in Jesus. And if we do not have the Holy Spirit indwelling within us, the Apostle Paul states, we do not have Jesus. Romans 8:9B (NIV) clearly tells us: “And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.”
It can be a rarity for us to diligently study ourselves and the motivations that lies behind the actions we do and the words we speak. Like King David, in our verses for today, asking God to search for anxious and offensive ways hidden within his heart. We all can be two year olds – acting out what has offended or hurt us. What flows out from our hearts is what the mouth speaks and how the hand moves. Remember as well, none of us is perfect or we would be home with the Lord Jesus. Only in walking with Jesus through His power is found great peace and the security of disturbances from temptations. We can always rely on the Lord Jesus.
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.** 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)**