Vital Signs: Friday, October 11, 2024

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” — Jeremiah 17:9-10 (NLT)

Secret Motives of the Heart

The Lord searches our hearts and examines our secret motives. We may believe our motive is to love God, but secretly, like the Pharisees, we might just want to appear superior to others. We may act as if we are loving others, but in reality, we could be using them for personal gain or to cultivate praise. What we present and what secretly motivates us can be very different. Since God searches our hearts and examines our motives, it would behoove us to do the same and make adjustments as needed.