Searched and Seen

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties. PSALM 139:23 NKJV 

At the ocean is one of the few places on earth where our soul seems to whisper: “Just breathe. God is bigger than every worry. God is greater than any fear. God is closer than the breath I’m taking.” He knows us. He knows our deepest struggles and understands our weaknesses. He knows what causes our anxious thoughts and how tempting it is for us to dwell on them to the point of consuming our minds and crowding out the truth. When we ask Him to search our hearts, we invite Him to change us in the best possible ways. We throw open the doors to every part of us to let His light expose things we’ve swept into corners, maybe because we haven’t been ready, or willing, to face them. 

When God searches us and reveals areas of our lives that need His strength and our surrender, it leads to spiritual growth spurts. And every bit of that growth gets us closer to who we truly are, the purpose we’re truly made for, and the reflection of Jesus we truly want to be. When God is showing us how to build our spiritual muscles, it’s a process that teaches us the discipline of complete trust and perfect rest. 

The rewards we enjoy are fewer sleepless nights, less stressful days, and a lot more hope to carry us through even when the going does get tough. Trust is the spiritual muscle that needs a daily workout if we want to get the rest our minds and bodies yearn for. If we want the kind of relaxation that refreshes us on every level, we have to believe that whatever the day brings God has already seen—and He’s given us a promise to quiet the anxious thoughts and a truth to strengthen every part of our hearts. 

Father, You see me as I am and love me more than I understand—I trust You to show me how to grow beyond my anxious thoughts and into Your perfect rest. Teach me to trust You more than I ever have before. 

This is an excerpt from The Beach is Calling: 90 Devotions for Rest & Relaxation – a devotional now available on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.