Search Me, God: An Invitation for the Ultimate Heart Exam

Have you ever gone in for a medical procedure you weren't sure you wanted? You feel fine on the surface, but deep down you know something might be going on inside that you can't see. What if the most important exam you'll ever have isn't a medical one — but a spiritual one? And what if you had to actually invite it?

That's exactly what the writer of Psalm 139 does in the final two verses of that ancient song. It's a prayer that's simple, vulnerable, and — if we're honest — a little unsettling.

Two Questions Worth Sitting With

Before we dive into the text, let me ask you two questions. First: what kind of God does the Bible describe? Second: what kind of God do you have?

You'd think those answers would be the same. But they're not always. Many people have their own version of God, and when you compare that version to what we actually find in Scripture, the two just aren't compatible. That's worth being aware of as we look at these two verses from Psalm 139:23-24.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there be any hurtful way in me and lead me in the everlasting way." (Psalm 139:23-24)

Search Me: The Invitation for Exploratory Surgery

The psalmist opens with a bold request: search me. The word in its original context actually means to penetrate — to really get inside. Those hidden parts. Maybe your spouse doesn't know about them. Your kids don't. Your parents don't. Nobody knows about those things except God.

Someone has compared this idea of searching to exploratory surgery — where they do some probing, stick a camera inside, and just look for stuff. Sometimes those things aren't very comfortable. Sometimes the prep isn't very comfortable. But we do it because we know that we can't always see on the surface what's happening inside.

People who've grown up in religious settings can be really, really good at making sure the outside looks nice and polished while the inside is anything but. That's why we need to invite God in. How are we supposed to recognize our sin if God doesn't point it out?

In John 16, Jesus describes one of the functions of the Holy Spirit this way: "When He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment." (John 16:8) God is able to do this. God is willing to do it. The question is — are you willing to invite Him in?

Know My Heart: The Place Where Decisions Are Made

The psalmist continues: "Know my heart." For the Hebrew person, the heart was the place of conscience, emotion, and decision-making. Faithfulness or unfaithfulness. Loving or unloving. Godlike or not so godlike. That's what happens in the heart.

In Jeremiah 17:10, God says, "I, the Lord, search the heart. I test the mind to give to each person according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds."

Jesus also had something to say about the heart in Matthew 15:18-20: "The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, those things that defile the person. Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, acts of adultery, other immoral sexual acts, thefts, false testimonies, slanderous statements. These are the things that defile the person."

Heart disease is a killer — physically and spiritually. When we ask God to know our hearts, we're asking Him to find the impure things and help us get rid of them. That's the first step in changing the bad stuff.

Try Me: Testing Reveals What We're Made Of

Then the psalmist says, "Try me" — meaning, test me. Check it out. Make sure your walk with God is solid. Check for impurities.

My dad was a heat treat worker. He would run steel products through a massive furnace for two reasons: to test whether the steel was solid, and to remove any impurities. He'd come home complaining about running what he called "junk steel" — steel that wasn't solid like it should have been.

God tests us through trials and struggles to see what we're made of. Some of you have gone through some really tough times. But isn't it amazing what we can learn about ourselves in those moments? We see what we're made of. More importantly, God sees what we're made of.

Know My Anxious Thoughts: Bringing Our Worries to God

The psalmist also asks God to know his anxious thoughts — those restless things that either keep us awake at night or wake us up in the middle of it. You know what I mean. You wake up and immediately your mind goes to something troublesome. Where did that come from? But it's real, and it's an issue you have to deal with.

We look at the world we're living in — violence, terrorism, disease, poverty, crime, injustice — and we get concerned. Sometimes it just keeps churning and churning until it consumes us. And sometimes it's not external at all. It's very personal — a rocky marriage, doubt, loneliness, pain, conflict.

Have you ever talked to someone going through a really rough time? At the beginning of the conversation it was just thick and tense. But as they talked, you could feel it coming down. More breathing room. More peace. Why? Because they were talking and somebody was listening.

Jesus offers this invitation in Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to me, everyone who is weary and carries heavy burdens. I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I'm humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." What an invitation.

Lead Me in the Everlasting Way: The Only Path That Never Ends

Finally, the psalmist asks God to "lead me in the everlasting way." And here's the truth: somebody's got to be the leader. There's no co-leadership in God's kingdom. If you are the leader of your life, you're probably not doing a very good job. I'm just going to go ahead and say it. God is the only one who can lead you into His purpose and into being the person you ought to be.

The "everlasting way" — I like this definition — it's as far as we can see, and then some. Don't lead me on a dead-end street, but lead me in your way. His way is the only one that goes on and on and on.

You've got a choice. You either do it your way or you follow His way. Jesus put it plainly in Matthew 7:13-14: "You can enter God's kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it."

The gateway to life. The everlasting way. Yes, it's narrow. Yes, it's difficult at times. You may be misunderstood. You may feel alone. But each and every step of the way, while you're behind Him, you're walking behind the One who died for you. You're walking behind the most powerful being who has ever existed. You're walking behind the person who conquered death, who brings restoration and wholeness, who brings comfort even when circumstances say you should be hurting.

And the older you get, the more you realize — He's going to lead you all the way home.

So why wouldn't you want to be on a path like that?

Putting It Into Practice

This prayer in Psalm 139:23-24 isn't a one-time event. It's a daily conversation. Every day is a new day. We don't know what we'll face at work, at home, or in our bodies. These commitments — asking God to search us, know us, test us, and lead us — are conversations we need to have with God daily.

Here are some next steps to consider:

  • Invite the search. Intentionally ask God each morning to examine your heart and show you what's there that shouldn't be.
  • Bring your anxious thoughts to God. Don't let them churn alone. Talk to God about them — He's listening.
  • Let Him lead. Surrender the driver's seat. His leadership isn't a list of commands — it's relational. You follow Him because of the relationship you have with Him.
  • Ask yourself the two questions. What kind of God does the Bible describe? What kind of God do you have? If those answers don't match, it's time to close the gap.

It all starts with asking Him to examine your heart and your life. Search me, O God.