HONESTY WITH GOD
SCRIPTURE
You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
-Psalm 51:6 (NRSVUE)
My husband and I enjoy many places in our community where we can walk. I especially love the wooded trails just minutes from where we live. Regardless of the season, the trees are our allies and secret keepers as we walk and talk together. It reminds me of the garden walks Adam and Eve took with God. They enjoyed an unforced relationship with God that we long for.
We can have the same intimate relationship. However, it must grow from honesty, vulnerability, and obedience. Developing intimacy with God is sometimes a painful learning curve. We aren't always honest with ourselves about our motives and per-spectives. How can we be honest with God if we aren't honest with ourselves?
Too many times I have come to God upset about something or someone. What I wanted from God was agreement. Instead, I received his honesty about my motives, my closed mind, or my self-absorption. God shared honestly from a heart of love, and although I did not feel shame, I felt exposed in a way that I could recognize God was right. The more I accepted honesty from God, the more I wanted to give honesty back to him.
As God models honesty with us, we can learn how to be more honest with ourselves. It means we ask more questions of God rather than telling God what to do about something. Remember that God "will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart" (1 Corinthians 4:5a).
Anything but honesty is an unnecessary interchange with God. He already knows what's in our hearts anyway. Honesty with God brings new growth and self-awareness. Honesty with God makes us stronger, not weaker. It creates the closeness we crave. This is where we return to the walk in the garden with God, who never wants to find us hiding. He wants us to recognize what he knows about us and how he uses it to transform and protect us. All God needs from us is a spirit that seeks the truth and knows we will always find it in his loving words.
BURNING QUESTIONS
1. Where do you fear honesty with God or yourself?
2. How can you practice honesty with God today?
AFFIRMATION
As I learn to be more honest with God, I will learn to be more honest with myself.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
God of all honesty, I need your honesty to help me be more honest with myself and those I love.
SCRIPTURE
You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
-Psalm 51:6 (NRSVUE)
My husband and I enjoy many places in our community where we can walk. I especially love the wooded trails just minutes from where we live. Regardless of the season, the trees are our allies and secret keepers as we walk and talk together. It reminds me of the garden walks Adam and Eve took with God. They enjoyed an unforced relationship with God that we long for.
We can have the same intimate relationship. However, it must grow from honesty, vulnerability, and obedience. Developing intimacy with God is sometimes a painful learning curve. We aren't always honest with ourselves about our motives and per-spectives. How can we be honest with God if we aren't honest with ourselves?
Too many times I have come to God upset about something or someone. What I wanted from God was agreement. Instead, I received his honesty about my motives, my closed mind, or my self-absorption. God shared honestly from a heart of love, and although I did not feel shame, I felt exposed in a way that I could recognize God was right. The more I accepted honesty from God, the more I wanted to give honesty back to him.
As God models honesty with us, we can learn how to be more honest with ourselves. It means we ask more questions of God rather than telling God what to do about something. Remember that God "will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart" (1 Corinthians 4:5a).
Anything but honesty is an unnecessary interchange with God. He already knows what's in our hearts anyway. Honesty with God brings new growth and self-awareness. Honesty with God makes us stronger, not weaker. It creates the closeness we crave. This is where we return to the walk in the garden with God, who never wants to find us hiding. He wants us to recognize what he knows about us and how he uses it to transform and protect us. All God needs from us is a spirit that seeks the truth and knows we will always find it in his loving words.
BURNING QUESTIONS
1. Where do you fear honesty with God or yourself?
2. How can you practice honesty with God today?
AFFIRMATION
As I learn to be more honest with God, I will learn to be more honest with myself.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
God of all honesty, I need your honesty to help me be more honest with myself and those I love.
Posted in Lent