God knows your heart

S: Luke 16:15: And He said to them “You are those who justify yourselves before men but God knows your hearts.
O: You can make things look good to the world but God knows what is in your heart.
A: God is not distracted by appearances. He gets right to the heart of the matter. There was a time in my life when I lived by appearances. I did a lot of things not because I wanted to but because it’s what I thought other people expected of me. I did kind things but my heart was not full of kindness. If you had looked at my life from the outside things would have looked fine. Husband, kids, house, job. But I was dying on the inside. My heart was broken and things like resentment, offense and self-hatred had taken root. I was walking, talking, breathing and smiling and putting on a good show but it didn’t fool God. In His love he tore the mask off and began healing all my broken places. Today I no longer desire to be a people pleaser….today I want to be a God pleaser. My life isn’t perfect. I’m not perfect. I struggle with sin just like everyone else. Today I don’t feel a need to be perfect. I only need to be me. That’s all my father asks of me.
P: Father God thank you for loving me during the times in my life I could not love myself. Father God my heart’s desire today is to please you. I don’t want to be a pleaser of man but a pleaser of God. Give me courage today Lord to share my struggles as well as my victories; to just be real. Let my heart be filled with you so that you can flow from me into the lives of everyone I meet today. Amen.