Let God Check Your Heart

 Sometimes, when we are trying to grow in our relationship with God, we may wonder if there are things in our lives that need to change. Maybe we have some habits, attitudes, or choices that we need to work on. And that’s good, because those things can hold us back if they don’t reflect the example of Jesus Christ. If we’re not sure about them, we can always ask God to show us the things in our lives that interfere with our peace and our relationship with Him. It is important to be honest with ourselves and with God because repeating the same wrong choices over and over can affect our faith in Him and keep us from growing.

Psalm 139:23–24 (NLT) says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

This is a good prayer to pray when we want God to help us understand what is really going on in our hearts. We may not always see the things that need to change in us, but God does. He knows our thoughts, our feelings, and the things we may not even realize are affecting us. Asking God to search our hearts is one way we can be honest with Him and allow Him to help us grow.

We also shouldn’t be afraid to ask God to show us what needs to change. Sometimes we may not want to admit that we have a habit, attitude, or choice that isn’t pleasing to God. But pretending that something is okay doesn’t help us grow. When God shows us something that needs to change, we can bring it to Him and ask for His help. He wants us to keep growing and becoming more like Jesus.

Growing closer to God means being willing to look at our hearts and be honest about what we find. We won’t always get everything right, but we can keep asking God to show us where we need to grow and lead us in the right direction. When we allow Him to work in our hearts, we can continue becoming the person He created us to be.

Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

“Let God Check Your Heart”, written for aheartforchristdevotions.blogspot.com by Kraiapril©2026. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

When Fear Gets in the Way

 Proverbs 29:25 (NLT) says, “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.” We can be afraid of a lot of things in life. Maybe it’s a bear, a snake, getting in trouble, or even what another person might think about us. But the Bible teaches us that the only One we should truly fear is God. This doesn’t mean we should be terrified every time we hear His name. Fearing God means recognizing who He is, respecting His authority, recognizing that all power is in His hands, and understanding that His opinion matters more than anyone else’s. When we care more about what people think than what God says, fear can start controlling our choices, and we should never let fear start to make our decisions for us.

Sometimes fear of people can actually keep us from doing what our Heavenly Father wants us to do. We know that He will always want us to do what is right, but sometimes doing the right thing may put us in an uncomfortable or difficult situation. That’s the time to lean on our faith in Him. Sometimes we don’t do that. Instead, we start thinking about what other people will say. You might be afraid your friends will laugh at you, leave you out, or think you are acting weird. Sometimes, you know in your heart that people are doing something wrong or asking you to do something wrong, but you are afraid to speak up because you don’t want people to judge you. When we let that kind of fear control us, we can end up putting people’s opinions above God’s Will. That’s when fear starts getting in the way of our relationship with Him.

Mathew 10:28 (NLT) says, ^“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” 

This is a strong verse, and it reminds us that people do not have the power God has. They may be able to hurt our feelings, reject us, or even threaten us, but they cannot control our souls. God is the One we should respect above everyone else because He is our Creator and has authority over our lives. When we understand this, we don’t have to let fear of people decide what we do.

This can be hard when you are around friends who want you to do something you know you shouldn’t. Maybe they want you to say something mean about someone, cheat on a test, or do something you know your parents wouldn’t approve of. You might be thinking, “If I say no, they’re going to think I’m boring.” But following God will sometimes mean making a choice that other people don’t understand. Being a Christian doesn’t mean you will never feel afraid. It means you learn not to let fear make your decisions.

In the end, we should remember who deserves our greatest respect. We can care about people and listen to wise advice, but we should never let fear of people become more powerful in our lives than our trust in God. The next time you feel pressured to do something because you’re worried about what someone will think, stop and ask yourself, “Am I more concerned about pleasing them or pleasing God?” Sometimes doing what is right will take courage, but trusting God is always worth it.

 Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

“When Fear Gets in the Way”, written for aheartforchristdevotions.blogspot.com by Kraiapril©2026. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ our Lord!