Inviting Examination
READ
If we truly desire to be God’s disciples, we must invite Him to examine our hearts and convict us of our sin. In His grace, God can bring the broken things within us to our attention, so that we might invite His transformative power into those areas of our lives. The goal of this reflection is not to stir up shame, but to partner with God to identify where we need to experience growth and renewal.
Practicing thoughtful reflection means opening ourselves up to God’s redirection. It means humbly receiving His loving correction, so that we can be made complete in His love.
Let’s take a moment to read Psalm 139:23-24:
God, I invite Your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares.
See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to Your glorious, everlasting way—the path that brings me back to You.
REFLECT
Receiving insight from God regarding the health of our souls is never easy or comfortable. He calls us to confront the darkest parts of ourselves. It challenges our pride. It makes us feel vulnerable. It reminds us that apart from Christ’s blood, we fall tragically short of God’s glorious standard.
Yet, when we invite Him to examine our hearts, we have the opportunity to be rerouted onto the path that leads to life. If we don’t allow Him to correct us, we will inevitably head toward destruction. We will invite chaos, relational breakdown, and soul-deep decay into our lives.
God doesn’t correct us to burden us with guilt. He never wants us to see ourselves as broken or too far gone. In His eyes, we are beloved children, worthy of His blood. God illuminates our sin so that we might live life as it was designed to be lived. He wants us to experience the joy of living in His “glorious, everlasting way”—not only so that we can prosper, but so that those around us might encounter His love through us. His correction—which we invite into our lives through the meta-practice of reflection—is a gift, not a punishment. God’s correction is not cruel chastisement; it is saving grace.
If our doctor knew that we had a degenerative health condition, we would want them to notify us immediately. If our plumber spotted a troubling leak in one of our water pipes, we would want them to tell us. If our bank noticed multiple fraudulent charges on our account, we would want to be informed. God has complete insight into the condition of our hearts, and He knows when we are heading down a “path of pain.” If we want to be spiritually, relationally, and emotionally healthy, we must allow Him to alert us when something has gone amiss.
RESPOND
Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.
Do you struggle to reflect on the state of your heart? Why or why not?
Is God trying to redirect you away from a “path of pain”? Will you allow Him to guide you in His “glorious, everlasting way”?
REST
Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:
Gracious Father, thank You for Your wisdom and direction. In Your mercy, examine my heart and make me aware of my faults. Help me to surrender the broken parts of myself to You, so that I can be healed by Your power. Free me from walking on paths of pain, and help me to live in a way that glorifies You and blesses Your children. God, enable me to receive Your correction with joy, rather than becoming self-conscious and overwhelmed with shame. Remind me that Your redirection is a gift, not a burden. I love You and thank You. Amen.
Port City writer Kate Redenbaugh wrote today’s devotional.