Lord, Search Our Hearts

Psalm 139: 23-24

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We never know what’s going on in the hidden places of a person’s heart. We may see someone’s actions, hear their words, and observe their behavior, but only God can see what lies beneath the surface. He knows the thoughts we never speak, the motives we never reveal, and the intentions hidden from everyone else.

The Bible says a lot about the heart. When Scripture speaks of the heart, it is not merely referring to the physical organ that pumps blood through our bodies. The heart represents the essence of who we are—our thoughts, desires, emotions, intentions, and will. It is the place from which our words and actions flow.

Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” This tells us that we do not always understand our own motives. We can convince ourselves that we are doing something for the right reason when, in reality, pride, jealousy, resentment, selfishness, or the desire for recognition may be influencing us.

We may even do the right thing for the wrong reason. Two people can perform the same act of kindness, yet their motives can differ completely. One may genuinely want to help, while another may seek praise or recognition. Outwardly, the actions look the same, but God sees the difference. (See Philippians 1:14-18)

When we surrender our hearts to God, He can change our motives, purify our intentions, and make our lives reflect Him—not merely on the outside, but from the inside out.

Before we ask God to change our circumstances, perhaps we should first ask Him to search our hearts. God already knows what is hidden there—the good, the bad, the ugly, the sincere, and even the motives we would rather keep concealed. Yet He exposes our hearts’ condition so that He can heal, cleanse, and transform us.

The prayer of David in Psalm 139:23–24 should become our prayer: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” We cannot always trust our own hearts, but we can trust the God who knows them completely.

Let us invite God into the deepest places of our hearts and allow Him to show us what we cannot see for ourselves. For when God transforms the heart, He transforms the life. And when we surrender our motives to Him, our words, actions, and relationships begin to flow from a heart that genuinely desires to honor Him.

Remember, God is not merely interested in what we do—He cares about why we do it. May He give us hearts pure before Him, motives pleasing to Him, and lives that reflect His character from the inside out. We should all pray, Lord, Search My Heart.

Elder Shirley Freeman