Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts (Proverbs 21:2).
God knows all our hearts. God created us. He knows every single part of us. We cannot hide anything from Him. He already knows the thoughts and the words that are forthcoming in prayer to Him. He knew and still knows every intention, desire, and fleeting motion that comes from our hearts.
Our heart is a part of our flesh. The Bible says that “the heart is deceitful and sick” (Jeremiah 17:9). The heart could tell us one thing and the Holy Spirit another. In Psalms 44, the Bible tells us that God knows the secrets of our hearts.
There is truly nothing that we can hide from Him. But let me ask this one thing: Why would we want to hide anything from God who created us? Are we that shameful? Afraid?
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded (James 4:8).
A Hardened Heart
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (James 4:12).
Are you going through a season of struggle? Does it seem like you are to blame for the situation or are you blaming God? Life can throw the hardest pitches. If you follow American baseball, you may have heard or seen that the Atlanta Braves team won the World Series.
Can you imagine the struggle, the pain, and even the loss of major players that they went through? I know that this may not compare even close to what you may be going through. This may not even matter. But the Braves team fought hard and won. They didn't give in or give up.
Our hearts fight with us every day. God knows what enters in and comes out of it (Jeremiah 17:10). The doublemindedness consumes our thoughts that lead to actions opposite of what God has given us. God has given us peace through Jesus Christ (John 14:27).
But our hearts lead us astray from that peace sometimes because of what fills it. What fills our hearts is anger, bitterness, and things like that, that don't bring God any glory, honor, and praise (Ephesians 4:31). Neither does it help you overcome the negatives that cloud your hearts.
The Word of God is meant to drive away the world within us, and our old self that is our flesh. You know that sometimes God puts us in circumstances that not only test us but also produce endurance (Romans 5).
But sometimes we let these tests harden our hearts because of our lack of understanding that God is trying to help us become more like Christ. He is building us, pruning us, and producing good fruits in us that can lead to a righteous life.
So, if you have hardened your heart because of these reasons, ask God to reveal to you what a trusting heart is.
A Trusting Heart
So, how can we transition from our clouded, double-minded hearts to a trusting heart? We lean into His Word and not only that but really hear His Word. The Bible says in Romans 10:17 that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
So, what does the Bible say about trust?
The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him (Psalm 28:7).
Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered (Psalm 28:26).
I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth — Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies (Psalm 40:1-4).
God tests you, searches you, and knows what the heart is revealing. There are many positive and negative things that can enter your heart. If your heart is not trusting in God, then what shall it produce? Surely it would serve you only what you think you should do or trust.
Running away never does us any good because it can lead to destruction. Look at the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). He was given his portion and decided He would benefit on his own terms. But then realizes that after all was spent, he needed his father more than any amount of money he thought could fulfill him.
You see, if you only view yourself as your own trustworthy and reliable person, you are viewed wrongly. The Bible says in Proverbs 27:19 that “as in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.”
A good example would be the scene in The Lion King where Simba is looking into the water, searching for his father. He is searching for answers. What he finds is his father in him. Simba has been running away from his calling that is upon his life.
His heart was full of shame, guilt, and fear. He thought that it was his fault his father died. But it turns out in the end that it was his uncle that was the culprit. His uncle lied to everyone just to gain what he thought was his. So, if you look into your heart, will you find God?
Or will you find wickedness, anger, bitterness, division, etc.? I would hope that I would find a repentant heart, searching for God to restore what was corrupted. Moreover, I would trust that by His Word that I can find renewal in Him.
Therefore, God said let us make man in our image (Genesis 1:26). He created our hearts before the heart knew nothing of sin, hate, anger, and all of the things that the enemy stirs up in his heart toward God.
So, do not be afraid to tell God what is in your heart because He already knows it. Trust that God can guide you and create a clean heart within you so that you do not harden your heart in any circumstance.
A Closing Prayer
God, we thank you for your Word. We thank you, God, for creating our hearts to trust in you. I pray for all who struggle with their understanding of who you really are, God. I pray everyone knows that you, God, are the one who gives us life and is there for us always. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
For further reading:
Do We Really Need to Pray if God Knows Our Heart?
How Can the Peace of God Guard Your Heart?
How Can I Get to Know God Better?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/AlexRaths
Rebecca Mashburn (Gordon) has a wonderful husband named Joseph. She has a blog, Trust. Lean, Seek and is working on becoming what God is calling her to. She has a bachelor's in psychology and hopes to one day pursue a degree in biblical counseling. Rebecca loves to be in nature, especially in springtime, and she loves to travel. She has a loving family and hopes one day to have children of her own.
