Heart check

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Psalm 139:23

 I like to challenge myself. Lately I have been challenging myself with heart checks. Heart checks are where I ask God to check the sincerity in my heart. What God is revealing to me is how much I think and use my head and not my heart. God is not only revealing things to me, He is changing my heart. 

 I will be honest prior to my request I was a little all over the place, a little bit in everyone else’s lane.  Way too often I thought I had the answers to everyone else’s problems—“why doesn’t she just….”, “he should start”.  What God revealed is I have a lot of answers to other people’s situations when I am avoiding something in my life or even more in the areas of my life that I am not as confident. 

 Since my initial request, I have made great strides, but I still have so far to go.  I don’t want to

come across as if after my request, I have arrived.  I am far from any arrival.  I, like Paul, die daily.

I die every day--I mean that, brothers--just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:31

What I want more than anything is for things to break my heart that break God’s heart.  I want to see people and feel compassion and love them the way God does.  The funny thing about heart checks are how often you’ll find yourself needing to do them with those you love dearly.  As a matter of fact, I think it’s easier to veer in the lane of family members and close friends.  It is okay to give advice to close family and friends but do it with caution and check your heart first…check your motives. 

Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 6:1

At times, purely recognize when important people in your life need to just pour out.  Just listen (and pray for them), don’t always feel the need to agree or disagree….just listen. 

In my effort to be “good” I feel like I have to agree with people who pour out to me.  What I know, because God is putting a mirror in my face is that I can’t put on “good”.  What He is telling me, is stop agreeing with negativity, just to be a “good” friend.  Start praying more, and letting the Holy Spirit lead me if I really need to say something. 

What is so awesome about asking God to search me is that I don’t feel shame about all of the ugly that I see.  He still loves me, He still thinks I am beautiful and He wants nothing more than for me to lean on Him to show me the right way. 

If you have never asked God to search your heart, I recommend it; you would be amazed by what God reveals.

God Bless

~CShell