One morning this past week, during my quiet time with the Lord, I read John 2:24-25 from the New Living Translation (NLT). When I study the Word, I usually use the New King James Version. But I enjoy the NLT for reading because I sense the Lord speaking to me personally.
But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people.
No one needed to tell him about human nature,
for he knew what was in each person’s heart.
John 2:24-25, NLT
“Jesus didn’t trust them,” and “he knew what was in each person’s heart,” moved me to tears. I turned to Psalm 139:23-24 and made these two verses my prayer.
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.
Psalm 139:23-24, NLT
While I focused on these verses, I thought of common problem areas many of us battle such as anxiety, doubt, insecurity, pride, and selfishness. If you’re like me, you may struggle in one or more of these at times. Let’s look at what God’s Word says about each of these sins. I hope you’ll take time to review these verses for yourself. I’ll summarize them here.
Anxiety—Proverbs 3:5-6 is a familiar part of Scripture. We are to trust in the Lord and not depend on our understanding. When we seek His will, He will guide us to the right path.
Doubt—The verse mentioned above applies to doubt too. But we can also look to Romans 10:17. Our faith grows from hearing the Good News about Christ. The more we get into the Word of God, meditate on it, and follow it, the less doubt we’ll battle.
Insecurity—A great verse here is Galatians 2:20. Jesus died for us and now He lives in us. When we trust in Him, we understand who we are in Christ and how much He loves us. If He is always with us, why do we feel unqualified or uncertain?
Pride—Here’s a verse that can put us in our place. Galatians 6:3 tells us not to think too highly of ourselves. We aren’t all that important.
Selfishness—Philippians 2:3-4 makes this clear by telling us not to be selfish, but to think of others as better than ourselves. Do we follow Jesus’s example by taking an interest in people around us and what they need and want?
Are any of these problem areas for you? My hope is that you will pray, ask the Lord to search your heart, and ask Him to show you anything that offends Him, so you can follow His lead.