Song of Songs 5-8 / 2 Corinthians 9 / Psalm 51 / Proverbs 22:24-25
When you’re hanging out with family or friends, do you often wonder how well you really know a person’s heart? We only reveal to others what we are comfortable revealing. Vulnerability is not an easy request or task. If I share my fears or secrets, they could later be used against me. Does that mean I should keep all my secrets to myself? Not all, but we certainly should not share everything with everyone.
Jeremiah 17:9 says this “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?”
We don’t even know the depths of everything within our own hearts much less what is in the hearts of others. People only let us see what they want us to see. Some are very good at hiding their true thoughts and feelings from others. Some are an open book, but probably still withhold their deepest, darkest secrets for fear if we really knew them, we would not love them.
Psalm 51:6 NASB offers to us the desires God has for our hearts. Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in secret You will make wisdom known to me.
Truth in the innermost being. God sees what no one else sees. God knows of what even we are not fully aware. There are twisty, dark places in our hearts that we have been too afraid to admit to ourselves and to God. However, He already knows, and He loves us anyway!
Our Father is aware that we are imperfect. Even if we tried to do everything right, looking good to the outside world, there would still be “stink” in our hearts. The good news is that He doesn’t want us to remain deceived by those hidden places. So, in secret He wants to make wisdom known to us. In secret may be that quiet place within our spirits where He speaks to us in love and brings Truth to set us free.
I also believe He has no desire to shame us, so He attempts to bring correction just between the two of us, hoping we will listen and change the way we think. God does not want to call you out publicly, hoping the embarrassment will cause you to want to do things differently. He wants to lead you in His gentle love toward a life that better reflects Jesus Christ.
That is our goal; to look like Jesus Christ. That is an effort which will take a lifetime to achieve. As a matter of fact, even in our final day, we will not have completed this work of looking like Jesus. But when we see Him face to face, we will have been made perfect because of His sacrifice on the cross. That will be a beautiful day!
Don’t wait for the “beautiful day” to be made perfect. Seek to know and be like Him now. We don’t pursue change because we want to be better; we pursue change because we love Him, and He loves us, and we want to please Him. On the one hand, the Father is already fully pleased with us because we are seen through His Son. On the other hand, it is to our advantage to grow, change and mature.
If you imagine that Holy Spirit is looking into your heart for the next hidden area to be brought into the light, remember that this searching is done in love. This searching is done for your benefit and good. Allow Him to look because He is looking with love.
