The testing of our hearts

Have you ever wondered about God’s justice? We know He is just and want Him to answer our petitions. But sometimes those answers are a long time in coming! Today the Lord chose this topic. Many scriptures popped into mind while writing and are inserted throughout the lesson. Here it is;

It is My nature to test the heart (Gen 18:20-21 & Ps 26:2). I listen to the complaints of men and seek to bring them justice. So I test them, to see if they themselves are just and fair, or deceitful and unfair ((Lk 13:6).

Certainly the heart can be deceitful (Jer 17:9). Yet My Holy Spirit works with men to bring them to a love of the truth, even concerning their own motives (Heb 4:12-13). A man gains favor amongst men and God when he walks in his integrity, and a man loses favor when he walks in self-deceit.

I care about injustices. Yet, if I were to avenge one of My own children of wrong done to him, only to find that he behaves no better than the one who wronged him, My recourse would be to punish my own child also (Heb 12:10-12). Therefore, before I bring punishment on the wrong-doer, I test the heart of the one who was wronged. If he was robbed, I give him the opportunity to forgive a debt, and thereby acquit himself of love of money. Forgiving a debt will stand as a righteous deed in defense of the character of the victim (Mt 18:23-34).

If a man feels abandoned and carries a great amount of responsibility I will give him fellow servants to care for. This tests whether he is laboring just for reward, or if he truly cares for His master’s servants (Lk 12:42-48). If he cares for his fellow servants, that stands to his credit when someone questions his work, and no one will successfully remove him from his position before his master. I can bring him help, and promotion, for he will not abuse it.

If a man asks for a home for his family and regrets that his parents left him no inheritance, I will see if he is hospitable to others. When he houses and feeds others, and goes into homes not his own to care for them, and when he labors to repair and maintain houses, this stands as godliness and is in his favor (Mt 25:31-45). He asks not for the home for his own selfish use, for when he met the needy, he took them in. And when their homes needed care, he cared and labored for no personal gain. But if a man bitterly complains about receiving no inheritance and cannot buy a home, and sends away the needy persons I send to him, shall I judge in his favor? For the needy have less than he has.

I work with the hearts of men to get them to the place of integrity, godliness, and righteousness so that I can show them favor. If I am delayed in returning an answer it may be because the testing of the heart did not yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness Eph 5:8-10 & Heb 12:11). I give more time . . . if one more test would prove the victim to be honorable, I will wait, because I would rather show mercy than having to punish my own. (James 5:7 & Lk 13:6).