We Need To Examine Our Own Hearts

Published by Deborah Negron – Child of God

January 13, 2022

I am a protestant. That is, I am not a Catholic. I am a born again Christian. That being said, the Bible tells us to “but examine everything carefully and hang on to what is good.”
1 Thessalonians 5:21

Therefore, or for this reason, I share this saying from a devout Catholic,

“Do remember, dear ones, you will never do any good when you correct unkindly. I am far from blaming those who, obliged by certain circumstances, correct strongly and firmly; however, it is by great gentleness that you will gain hearts and minds.”
St. Mary Euphrasia, Conferences, P. 60″

I am appalled these days at how many call themselves christians yet look nothing like Christ.

For some today in this post modern world, the objective is, the self. Regardless of how others are seen. To them the self, self preservation, personal beliefs or opinions supercede all else.

Employers who put the lives of their employees at risk for a profit.
People who hurt others and even speak wrongly to discredit others publicly. Some who for the sake of their own gain misuse others and mistreat them. Some who claim to have the love of God until they are confronted with truths about how they truly live false lives. They become so angered that they will stop at nothing to keep their public reputations intact. They prefer to live in a lie than to project the truth.
Children that are obstinate and turn on their parents blaming them for their lack of responsability and commitment.
The list goes on and on.It’s the never ending blame game.

Truth be told, God’s word tells us this fact.
“All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory,”

but all are treated as righteous freely by his grace because of a ransom that was paid by Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:23-24 if we read it carefully, we can pull out some very important parts.

‘All have sinned.’
Guess what this means we all fail. We are all in need of God’s mercy and forgiveness.

We are flawed and imperfect. That’s the fact. We all need to be made whole. We have all been broken and undone.

Next let’s see…
We have all fallen from the glory of God.
This means I am no better than the next guy. Even if I do some good and try my best. I can never be good enough.

Some people look forward and act as if they have never failed.

I’m here to tell you that we all fail every day.

It could be because we are insensitive or ignorant. It could be because we do not know the whole story or we make wrong assumptions. Yet no matter what the case, we are prone to make mistakes.
We hurt those we love consciously or unconsciously. We injure those we ought to honor.
We take people for granted. We are selfish and look for te me, me issue.

That is we are more concerned with our own feelings than how others will be affected by what we say or do.

We truly do the opposite of what the Lord tells us to do.

Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves.
Philippians 2:3

Wow, another version says it this way,

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
Philippians 2:3

If we look at ourselves in the mirror of the Word of God we find we have a long way to go before we are truly righteous.
What we often act out is self righteousness.
We compare oursleves to others and find that some how we are better.

Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Luke 18:9‭-14

The thing is before God we will all be judged for how we treat others. Whether it is a relative or a stranger God will see our hearts regarding each case.

You are dead to me.
I hate you. Drop dead. She was nothing. He was a fraud. This man is a good man, all the while knowingly lying about a wicked man. Lies are being told to cause there to be some personal gain.
Hiding the truth… will only condemn us further.

How utterly sad. The Lord will judge us for every idle word we have spoken.

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 12:36-37

In love, today I pray we would all take the time to examine oursèlves.
Examine where we have failed and make ammends.
Heal those broken relationships. Forgive.
Let not your anger or discontent rob you of the peace of forgiveness and reconciliation.

This does not mean you will allow someone to disrespect you or mistreat you. You are not meant to be battered or abused.

But even to that abuser,
Show forgiveness and walk away.

Mercy speaks volumes of our relationship with Christ.

Love the unlovely. Forgive the unforgivable.
Let go and let God.

Perhaps it’s a parent who let you down. Perhaps your employer mistreated you. Perhaps a child of your own, dishonored you.
Forgive….

To be like Jesus, we must follow his teachings.

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Matthew 5:44‭-‬45

And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
I Peter 4:8‭-‬10

Oh that we should speak truth in love…
So, that we can all grow in our faith and not fall in to diverse pitfalls.

Lord help us to examine our own lives. Forgive us for our own hard hearts. Help us to be more like you. This I pray.
We need to examine our own selves.
May this bless many. Myself as well.