As you pursue God, have you ever wondered if you were “doing it right?” Do you wonder if you will hear, “Well done good and faithful servant?” There is a test that I use when I feel that way. I call it my heart monitor. (You may not have read my blog titled “A Heart Condition.” You should read that first because I am targeting those of you who have a transformed heart and are living in Spirit most of the time.)
So, this test. It’s reason test. A “why did you do that?" test. You see, I have been a God hunter a long time and I don’t sin much, in the conventional sense. I haven’t killed anyone in a while. I don’t run around on my wife (I even avoid the beach and pools in the summertime because I don’t need to see young girls running around in their underwear.) I don’t covet, steal, and only lie when it comes to fishing. You get the idea. I think that for many of you, you live like this too. However, as God continues to press me into the mold of his son, He shows me things that are not on the regular sin list. Mostly things in my thoughts and attitudes of rebellion.
When I find myself in my right mind, I stop and apply my “why did you do that” test. What was going on in my heart that gave me reason to act or think rebelliously toward God? Remember that the heart is the source of your behavior. Jesus put it this way in Matthew 15:16-20
16 “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. 17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
I think Jesus would have also argued that Godly behaviors can also come for a Spirit controlled heart.
So, what’s in my heart? Whatever I put in there. Whatever I put in my heart comes out when I get bumped. So, when I get bumped does Jesus come out or does my flesh? Depends on the day, to be honest. Sometimes when I have listened to too much news and I am filled with the negative opinions of the news entertainers and I get bumped, I get angry and want to “nuke ‘em all.” That’s me in rebellion. Remember, God asked, “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?” (Ezekiel 18:21).
Jesus said this in the Sermon on the Mountain
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
If with my mouth or even in my heart, I assassinate someone’s character, Jesus warned me there could be severe consequences. Sometimes, I may think badly about a person or even wish their harm or destruction.
So, what do I do when I find this kind of rebellion lurking in the dark recesses of my flesh? I shine a light in the dark. I confess it. 1 John 1:9 says that I must “speak the same” (ὁμολογέω \{homo-lo-geh'-o}) as God if I am to confess. I must know WHAT I did and know WHY I did it. NOW I can repent because I know why it was wrong.
My part is repentance (another shop talk for another day). God’s part is forgiveness.
This is the amazing part. If I speak the same as God and He forgive and cleanses of ALL unrighteousness, what’s left? If all your unrighteousness is gone, all your dirt removed, what’s left? Righteousness! Pure unadulterated holiness before God (God did that not me)!!
At that moment, standing clean before God bathed in the blood of Christ and washed clean by the forgiveness of the living God, I can hear, “Well done!” That’s when I know I’m “doing it right.”
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