The Hidden Things

The past few weeks my thoughts have been around how important our thoughts, motives, and intentions really are. These are the things we can hide from the world and people around us, but not from the Lord. For many years the verse for today has been my prayer, but am I really allowing the Lord to show me the things that discredit His Name? Am I willing to face these offensive ways and to change?

We read in 2 Corinthians 5:10 that, `we [believers will be called to account and] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be repaid for what has been done in the body, whether good or bad [that is, each will be held responsible for his actions, goals, motives - the use or misuse of his time, opportunities and abilities]` (AMP). Luke also reminds us of Jesus’ warning to His disciples and He started out with these words: “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees - their hypocrisy. The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!” (Luke 12:2-3, NLT). 

We easily point fingers at others and expose their hypocrisy and flaws, for example their wrong motives and attitudes. But we need to look at our own hearts first, because we read in 2 Corinthians 5:10 that each one of us will be called to account for our own lives, not for the lives of others. The Merriam Webster describes hypocrisy as: `a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not; behaviour that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel`.

Paul reminds us in Philippians 2:12b-13 to keep to the commitment we made upon accepting the Lord: `Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him` (NLT). We get so busy judging, criticising and discussing others that we forget the Word of the Lord speaking to each one of us.

Philippians 2:3-4 is one of many verses in the Bible that reveal our inner thoughts and motives: `Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others too` (NLT). We can take this verse to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to shine His light on areas in our lives that are offensive. This is always a great place to start: with the Lord, because He says in His Word that He is working in us, helping us, giving us the desire and power to do what pleases Him!