Daily Devotional
God Reveals Your Heart
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”
Jeremiah 17:9-10
May 21, 2024
Ponder This
The heart is the control center for the body. God looks into your heart and searches your heart. Then after God reviews the heart, He reveals the heart. How does He do it? He tries the reins. God allows circumstances to come into your life and sees how you react to those circumstances. Your actions don’t prove what you are, your reactions do.
Have you ever been rude to a person? You say, “Well he made me mad.” The truth is, he just revealed the anger that’s already in you. He didn’t put that rudeness in you. That rudeness was already there; all he did was push the hot button.
As time goes by, God allows circumstances to come into your life, and you may say, “Well I’m surprised at myself. I never thought I could do that.” You didn’t know your heart was deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. And you didn’t know that down in that pit called the human heart were all those things. We can mask it so well.
A little girl was in the park, a dog was barking, and she started to cry. Then the dog stopped. And the mother said, “Look, don't cry darling. He stopped barking.” The girl said, “But his bark is still in him.” You may be able to control yourself in many instances, but there will come a time when it comes out and you’ll be surprised.
- When was the last time you had a surprising reaction about something? What did that reveal about your heart?
- What circumstances are most difficult for you to deal with? How do you react in those situations?
Practice This
Confess to another believer the last time you reacted unexpectedly to a difficult encounter. Tell your friend what it has taught you about your heart.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
