Search me, o God, and know my heart. – Psalm 139:23
Many of us know we should examine
ourselves first in the face of conflict.
But very few of us do that. When
we find ourselves embroiled in a conflict, we should first ask ourselves, Am I at fault here?
This is hard for us, especially
because in most conflicts we feel pretty strongly that we are right. And we figure that should also be obvious to
everyone else.
But in conflict, as wise people know,
the fault is rarely completely one-sided.
So if today you find yourself thinking
angry, condemning thoughts about someone who has done something to you, you may
need to take firm steps to deal with that person. But take care also to look honestly at your
own behavior and feelings. Before you
act, ask yourself, What if I’m not seeing
the whole picture? What if, in fact,
something in me is also at fault here?
The good news is that God knows us far
better than we know ourselves. God knows
“all our ways.” Nothing is hidden from
God’s ultrasound, CAT-scan eyes.
Even better news is that God, by His
Spirit, is actually able to show us what he sees, to peel away our layers of
self-deception, and to give us 20/20 vision into our heart of hearts. Would it not be wise, first, to humbly ask
God to show us ourselves accurately, lest we end up, too late, profoundly at
fault as well?
