March 1, 2025 Devo

A few weeks ago, I was having intense pain in my right arm. It was a shooting pain that went all the way down to my hand. And it HURT. When I went to my orthopedic doctor, he wasn’t sure if the problem was in my elbow, my shoulder, or my neck. So he took X-rays. He sent me to a neurologist to have a nerve conduction study done. (No fun!) Finally, I had an MRI. When it was all said and done, it was determined that I had a compressed nerve in my elbow. Quickly thereafter, I had surgery to release the nerve. It was immediate relief. Though my arm still isn’t 100% yet, it’s well on its way. I am SO THANKFUL for the kind of medical care that we have access to today.
All of those different scans and procedures were designed to do one thing: To reveal what couldn’t be seen with the naked eye. The only way the doctor could help me was for me to allow him to do the scans and even go through a painful nerve conduction study where they zap you over and over again with electric jolts. Bringing things beneath the surface to the light is not always an easy process.
That’s what David is talking about here. David is wise enough to know that not only are there things he knows that he struggles with, there are things he’s not aware of as well. So he asks God to remove those faults and sins, too. But how does God do that? Well, a couple of ways.
One of those ways is through His Holy Spirit. When you read the scriptures or have your time in prayer, is your heart open to the things God might want to point out? Do you approach those times with an awareness, like David, that there are things in your life that aren’t totally pleasing to God that you need revealed? An openness and eagerness to hear what God’s Spirit is saying is a great way to look beneath the surface.
Another way, which is admittedly a bit more painful, is being receptive to things pointed out by close friends and family members. Especially our spouse. When confronted by someone about an attitude that needs adjusting, a sharpness of tone that needs softening, or a behavior that needs to cease, how do you respond? Our “hidden faults” are usually only hidden to us. Others may be well aware of them. Being open to correction is the mark of a wise person. SEEKING feedback from trusted friends or family is the trait of someone committed to being all they can be. Do something courageous this week. Ask God to take you beyond what you know to face those things you DON’T KNOW about. It may be scary and even a bit painful, but it’ll help you become who you truly long to be. That’s God’s Word for you today.