Introspection – discovering our inner pain ∙
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. – Psalms 139:23-24
Psalms 139:1-12
1 O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.
4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.
5 You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!
7 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there, your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night –
12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you, the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.
What is introspection? It is a psychological process that involves turning inward to assess one’s thoughts, emotions, judgments, and perceptions. In everyday language, introspection is about exploring one’s inner thoughts and feelings (Kendra Cherry).
The concept of introspection, also known as experimental self-observation, was introduced as a research method by psychologist Wilhelm Wundt. His approach involved teaching individuals to carefully and objectively examine their own thoughts, emotions, and motivations with the aim of enhancing self-awareness.
However, the challenge with personal introspection is its inherent subjectivity. Personal experiences such as hidden traumas, abuse, learned behaviors, and undiscovered agendas often lie beneath the surface. These hidden influences can be deceptive and go unnoticed. They create a natural barrier or limitation to genuinely understanding ourselves. As a result, our introspective efforts and conclusions are often inherently skewed.
Moreover, the human heart is inherently unreliable, deceitful, elusive, and evasive. It is essentially unknowable.
Jeremiah 17:9 The human heart is the most deceitful of all things and desperately wicked. Who can understand it?
Is there an objective method to discover who we really are? David shows us the way!
David wants to know if there’s anything in him that causes pain for himself, others, or the Father.
REFLECT & PRAY
“If we cannot deceive God, escape God, or ignore God, is it not sensible to obey God? Yes, it is reasonable, but there are those who prefer to oppose God and dispute what He says . . . in His Word” (Wiersbe).
Father, please search my heart. Reveal what is inside of me, which is offensive to You and hurtful to myself and others. Remove the dark spots that remain on my heart.
INSIGHT
The Father God possesses complete knowledge and understanding of everything at all times. His assessments are not only impartial but also entirely accurate. He has always known everything about us, with nothing concealed from Him.
Just as we would turn to a medical expert for diagnosis and treatment of physical conditions, Who better to seek help when we have harmful internal spiritual conditions than from our all-wise, all-knowing living God? Every child of the King can seek counsel from their Father.
David is acutely aware of the Father’s nature, personality, and essence. In his prayer, he acknowledges God’s all-encompassing wisdom and insight.
Psalms 139:1-7
1 O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.
4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.
7 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!
Consequently, David seeks God’s evaluation, asking Him to search his heart and reveal any hidden faults.
The context of David’s plea is telling. After criticizing and praying against his enemies, David reflects on whether his actions are justified. His wisdom and understanding of God’s Word, nestled in his heart, seem ahead of their time, echoing principles that that the Lord Jesus Christ would teach centuries later.
He wants to make sure there is no log stuck in his eye.
Was David wrong to act as judge (John 8:7)? Did his personal biases and sins obscure his judgment? How often do we act similarly, failing to consider the potential flaws in our criticisms of others?
Luke 6:41-42
41 And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?
42 How can you think of saying, Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First, get rid of the log in your own eye; then, you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
David wanted to ensure he had no such log or impediment affecting his vision.
Psalms 139:23-24
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
These verses echo the sentiments from the beginning of Psalms 139, where the Father has already searched and examined David. David sought this clarity again, aware of his emotional turmoil and anxious thoughts. He does not want his judgment to be biased or prejudiced. He wants any grievous way (way of pain) that may have skewed his assessment to be exposed.
The term translated as “wicked” (KJV), “grievous” (ESV), “offensive” (NLT, NIV), or “painful” (NAS) is otseb. Otseb applies to actions that “offend another.” Derived from the Hebrew verb asab, it encompasses bothphysical and emotional pain.
Such internal pain or offense can prejudice any of us. It can also be felt by those they come into contact with.
Worse still, our pain becomes the Father’s pain. It can be a source of grief or sorrow for God (Ephesians 4:30).
“When we cannot understand ourselves or comprehend our feelings, God invites us to take our internal struggles to Him and ask Him for insight. He understands what we do not, and knows what to do when we don’t” (Stanley).
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© Dr. H 2024
Dr H Reflections 