Short, simple devotions can be a great pick-me-up to keep you going throughout your day. Simple devotions like the one below are written by everyday Christian writers. Get started and connect with God today!
It’s Hard to Be Honest
Sometimes it’s hard to face ourselves. Certain actions or thoughts leave us feeling full of regret or shame.
Robyn reminds us that sharing our true hearts with God brings freedom.
Psalm 139:1
“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me” (NLT).
Written by Robyn Scott
Do you ever have thoughts or feelings that you know aren’t the most loving, but find that it’s your truth in that moment? Maybe you really don’t want to talk to that relative ever again. Maybe you’re carrying jealousy, or you just find that person *really* annoying. Maybe, you’re even angry with God. You wouldn’t dare share those thoughts with anyone for fear of guilt and shame, but you aren’t sure what to do with them.
No matter the thought, we can tell God. He already knows what we’re thinking! Psalm 139 tells us he knows when we sit or stand, our thoughts, what we’re going to say before we even say it. He made all the delicate, intricate parts of our being. There’s nothing about us God doesn’t already know, so we can be fully open with him in conversation. Telling God our struggles can help us to process thoughts and emotions in a safe place.
The book of Psalms gives some of the rawest examples of speaking to God honestly, yet they’re often followed by remembrance of God’s goodness and restoration of faith. In Psalm 13, David not only cries out to God asking, “How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day,” but he takes it a step further, demanding, “Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!” Yet, he goes on to say, “But I trust in your unfailing love.”
These Psalms display bold words to God, yet after cries of distress and harsh honesty, he’s able to remember God’s goodness and place his trust in God. We can tell God exactly what’s on our mind and still trust him to guide us forward with his unfailing love.
Why It Matters
Being honest with God creates honesty with ourselves. Facing our wrongdoings or processing our deep thoughts can bring shame, guilt, or fear. But God is a safe place where we can talk about the things on our mind and let him guide us through. Honesty with God about our innermost thoughts can bring relief from bottled-up feelings. We can then be open to hearing truth from our Father about our thoughts and how to move forward.
Do you ever need some good Bible verses to reflect on? We’ve pulled together a few of our favorite short, simple devotions to help you better connect with God in the everyday moments. See this link to check them out!
