Discover Yourself

Good morning.

We all live a lie! That may be put a bit harsh, but the word of God does say in Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Man is by nature very crafty to twist and bend life the way they want it. We easily justify our actions, interpret the Bible to suit ourselves, pretend we live in certain ways as to deceive people into believing certain attributes about us, often act in ways to turn circumstances to our advantage and use people for our benefit. Maybe you feel now that I generalise a lot – well if the cap fits, wear it.

The Lord told Samuel when Samuel had to identify one of Jessie’s sons as the next king to be anointed: “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart,” (1 Samuel 16:7). So who are we bluffing? Talking of David; why was David called a man after God’s own heart? It was because David realised he couldn’t fool the Lord and often had a broken and contrite heart before the Lord. We only need to read his psalms to see his heart.

He concluded Psalm 139 with these words: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting,” (verses 23-24). Have you prayed these words before, meaning it? I would be careful if I were you. We don’t know ourselves and easily deceive ourselves, but the Lord means business with us and His ultimate goal is to get us to see Him, for us to be in His presence. The only way for us to be in that position is to be holy, set aside for God, since according to Hebrews 12:14 “without holiness no one will see the Lord”, and this is the Lord’s ultimate goal for every single individual who submits themselves to it.

Yes, the Lord only works with the willing vessels who are prepared to be changed and refined unto holiness, which is why Philippians 2:12-13 says: “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” The words ‘continue to work out your own salvation’ indicates our determined decision to work together with the Lord to get where He wants us to be.

We don’t know our hearts, for our hearts deceive us. “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known,” (1 Corinthians 13:12). The Lord knows us fully and His ultimate goal is for us to know ourselves fully, for only if we know who we really are we can forget about ourselves and focus on the Lord.

The way we discover ourselves is through trials and tests. How would you know how far you can run on your level of fitness if you do not start running and test yourself? How would you know how you would behave under high pressure if you are not put in that situation? How would you know whether you would have the faith to wait upon the Lord in difficult circumstances if you don’t end up in such circumstances?

Some of us allow sin in our lives too easily, which hinder our relationship with the Lord. If the Lord does not allow the consequences of sin to shake our lives, how will we ever discover that we cannot play cat and mouse with the King of kings?

To see the Lord requires holiness – complete devotion. In such a relationship is no place for any idols and the only way we will discover what the idols are that keep us from being holy, is when these idols are smoked out by the pressure of trials and tribulation. That is why the comfortable church in countries controlled by Money tends to stagnate, and the church in persecuted and poor countries prospers spiritually.

Lord, please allow trials and tribulations to reveal me.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

Please pass this on if you think others may benefit by it.