📖“He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honour and immortality that God offers.”
Romans 2:6–7
“These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”— Matthew 15:8 (NLT)
It’s easy to sound spiritual. To say the right things, go to the right places, even serve in the right ways — and still have a heart that’s far from God. We live in a world that celebrates image and performance, but God doesn’t measure us by appearances. He searches the heart.
Romans 2 reminds us that God isn’t fooled by surface-level goodness. He knows whether we’re seeking His glory or simply seeking approval. Eternal life isn’t for those who occasionally do good, but for those who persist in doing good — not to earn grace, but because they’ve encountered it.
If your heart has been wounded, it can be tempting to protect it by retreating behind polished words and guarded rituals. But healing comes when we bring our true selves to God — messy, hurting, honest — and say, “Search me, Lord. Heal what’s broken. Make me whole.”He longs for our hearts, not our perfection.
Reflection:
Where in my life am I “honouring God with my lips” but withholding my heart? 🤔
What pain or fear might be causing me to hide behind spiritual performance? 🤔
Am I seeking God’s glory and honour, or simply avoiding shame or judgment? 🤔
What would it look like for me to live with authentic faith today? 🤔
Life Application:
Affirmation:
Creative Prompt:
Draw, paint, or collage a heart in God's hands — not perfect or polished, but cracked or scarred — and imagine Him gently restoring it. Use gold, thread, or light to represent His healing touch. You could title it “He Sees My Heart” or “Restored from Within”. Let this be a visual surrender — a way of saying, “Here I am, Lord. Not pretending. Just present.”
Closing Prayer:
Father God, You see through the noise, the masks, the efforts to perform. You search my heart, not to condemn, but to restore. Forgive me for the times I’ve honoured You with my words but withheld my wounds. I don’t want to perform for You — I want to pursue You. I want to seek after the glory, honour, and eternal life You freely offer. Teach me to live from a place of wholeness, not hiding. Draw me close. Heal my heart. Let my life reflect Your truth from the inside out. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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