Search Me & Change Me

“Search Me & Change Me”

By Zach Wood

Psalm 139:23-24

“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.”

What a powerful passage and psalm from David!  This is a deep cry out to God and a longing that he expresses to his Father to know him and turn him away from any way that does that please the Father.  As I read this verse, I thought about the sermon a couple weeks ago regarding our motives for the things we do and say to others.  Sometimes, our motives are hidden and we can fool many people.  But, we can never fool God.  He knows us and wants us to be led in His way.  He knows we are human and we will chase after what our flesh desires.  However, we must realize that our flesh desires will not bring any eternal peace.

What’s your motive? If God searched your heart and your thoughts, would He find selfish motives or would He find a servant’s attitude and desire in all that you do?  I’m often fighting selfish desires within.  I find myself knowing I need to be a good minister for my congregation, a good husband to my wife and a good father to my children.  However, so often, my motives aren’t pure and right.  I want what I want and that’s how it is!  In these times, I desperately need to ask God to cleanse me from these ways and thoughts and seek him in all I do.  My desire should be to serve Him by serving others and being the role model He has called me to be.

We would most likely all agree that we desire for God to change us and make us more like Him, but the actual change sometimes is a great challenge for us to accept.  The change is usually never easy, but the growth it brings to our lives is wonderful.

Have you asked God to search your mind and heart lately?  Have you asked Him to show you what ways you need to change to follow Him more passionately?  If we pray that way, we need to be ready and willing to change to follow Him with more commitment.