The Path to the Secret Garden - Part 4: Search me, Test me, See me, Lead me.
Search me, Test me, See me, Lead me.
Today is a prayer and invitation for God to change us!
For any change in us to be long-lasting we need to prepare the soil of our heart. We want to water the ground for seeds of change.
And this starts within us.
Romans 13:11 (msg)
But make sure you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-to-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. Be up and awake to what God is doing!
Sometimes life's day to day obligations make us doze off and become oblivious to God. We don't want to miss anything that He wants to do in and through us as we gather for bU this year. And in order to be awake to what He is doing, we need to stop and reset.
Read Psalm 139:1-4
I think most days we forget this - we get so busy and absorbed with life and engrossed in our work that we don't stop to check in with God - and say “God, you KNOW ME BEST, what are my blind spots? What am I missing? What strengths and gifts can't I see?”
If I were honest - my response in almost everything in my life is “how does this affect me” not “God what are you trying to reveal to me and in me?”
So David reminded himself how known and loved he is by God, and then after that revelation he asks God to examine his heart.
David prays an amazing prayer in Psalm 139:
Search me, 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.
Sometimes we don’t stop to ask God this - to search me, test me, see me or lead me… in fact our instinct is to actually hide anything we aren’t happy with or we think is a weakness from Him. Today I want to encourage you to utter this same very prayer to God.
Why should this be your prayer? Because He knows you better than you know yourselves.
This is a very vulnerable prayer - you know when you're searching through a box or papers to find something - exposes things from the past. God sees you and knows you COMPLETELY and wants to change you into His likeness.
Today, allow Him to guide you, minister to you, reveal things to you and lead you.
My Response…
Read Psalm 139 - Remind yourself that God knows you better than anyone else. And pray the same prayer that David prayed:
God, search me, test me, know me, see me, lead me.
Write down the things the Holy Spirit reveals to you. Is there any bitterness or unforgiveness that is making the soil of your heart hard that you need to let go of and let God heal?
What has the Holy Spirit showed you that you need to leave behind in preparation for conference?
In these times of reflection with God, write a list of things you’d like to live your future without, and ask God for keys to help you let go of each one.
