Spend time in prayer and silence with God, asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. We are glad whenever we are weak, but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection.
– 2 Corinthians 13:5-9
Devotion
Paul closes out this letter by instructing the Corinthians to, “examine yourselves.” Most people struggle with the concept of introspection. Sometimes we don’t go there because we are afraid of what we will find. Yet in Scripture, we are encouraged to look within and be honest about what we find. King David is a good example of introspection in Psalm 139:23, when he writes, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” David was not afraid to go to that place. Nothing is hidden from God. He is the only one we can safely be completely open and vulnerable with. Paul closes out this section by letting the Corinthians know that he is praying for their perfection or maturity. This is the heart of a shepherd/pastor. He loves them so much and desires to see them grow and mature in their faith.
The Big Question
So how are you doing with introspection? Are you afraid of what’s under the tip of the iceberg? How are you facing things that hold you down? Are you daily asking God to search your heart and reveal anything that is hindering your growth as a believer?
Conclude your time in prayer and silence, reflecting on what God revealed to you today.