God already can see your inner most thoughts and desires, He doesn’t need your permission. Do you feel ‘ok’ about Him knowing these things? Why or why not?
My theory is, if you don’t want God to know about it, you really shouldn’t have it. It is like when one of my friends was doing something on his computer. My sister peered over his shoulder and immediately he shifted so she couldn’t see the screen. I told him, “You know, if you don’t want her to look at it, should you really be doing it?”
With the exception of gifts, we don’t typically hide good things from people. Like when a kid breaks something, what do they instantly do? They try and hide it. But when they do something good, they run to mommy and daddy and want to share their joy with them.
Look at Psalm 139:23-24.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalm 139:13-24
New Living Translation
David was anything but perfect, yet he still wanted God to know his heart. He even wanted God to correct him, letting him know what he needed to correct. Would we be willing to ask God to do this?
I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my years, and honestly continue to mess up. But you know why I, and David, very, very imperfect people, can willingly ask for His correction? Because God has given us the ability to repent and change. Those bad decisions that I used to hold to my heart, I don’t hold anymore. Those bad choices I made, they don’t define me.
I know that God already knows every stupid mistake I have made, and knows that I will continue to stumble now and again. That is why I am now asking God to correct me and look in my inner most thoughts and desires to correct me.
Why do we need to ask God to examine us if He already knows? For one thing, we need to ask Him to enter the situation, show that we want Him there. Do you like being somewhere you know you aren’t wanted? I don’t. Neither does God.
It’s like with Adam and Eve. Do you really think God asked them where they were and why they were dressed in leaves because He had no idea? No! He knew exactly what happened but He was giving them a chance to ask Him to join them in that situation and provide guidance. We’re no different.
Another reason we need to do this is humility. We like to think we have things together and that we have all the answers. We don’t. By asking God to search us and correct us, we give ourselves a reality check. We acknowledge the Lord who is greater than we are and we get an opportunity to be corrected and change.
My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights. Proverbs 3:11-12
New Living Translation
God doesn’t correct you because He spends His time rubbing His hands together waiting for a chance to point out your flaws and crush your spirit. He corrects you because He loves you and wants you to succeed. He is our heavenly Father.
Fathers aren’t supposed to give children everything they want and they are not given to children to make sure they’re always happy. Fathers are gifted to children to lead them in the path they should go and provide consequences for when they are not doing the right thing. They correct with discipline so that children understand that their bad decisions can bring about consequences of pain and emotional hurt.
God corrects His children because He is guiding them and teaching them what actions are wrong. If He never took the time to teach us what is wrong, then we’d keep making the same mistakes over and over. Don’t fear the Lord’s discipline and correction. He does it in love and heeding His warnings will protect you from yourself.
We can be our own worst enemies because in our head strongness we tend to cling to the things that hurt us most. However, if we open ourselves up to allow the Lord to examine our hearts, we can learn in what ways we should change.
It is never too late to seek forgiveness and turn from actions we have made. I urge you to allow God to examine you and to listen to His correction. Now is the time to act. Move back to the way of the Lord.
