Known, Seen, Transformed

This past year I learned to love Jesus more by using personal examination as a powerful tool in prayer. Prayer that stirs deeper intimacy with Jesus as you figure out what areas of your lives do not align with God’s holiness. It can highlight the areas in which we have the opportunity to welcome the Spirit to do the deeper work of transformation. Verses 23–24 of Psalm 139 can often be taken out of context in relation to the whole psalm. We jump to pray out “search me, God,” or we avoid praying that prayer. In reality, Psalm 139 puts personal examination in a context that God knows us, he sees us, he has created us, he has the power to bring light to darkness, and he can transform. We can pursue personal examination because Jesus is not surprised by what we may find. He also has the power to redeem, heal, and bring light to the brokenness of our story, relationships, and community. 

Psalm 139 highlights three areas to deepen our moments of personal examination in prayer and love Jesus more along the journey. 

Read Psalm 139:1–6. You are known. No matter where you are in your faith journey, we have a history with God. He has been present in our journey. He has searched you. God’s Spirit is surrounding you regardless of your season or situation. You begin the process of self-examination already known by God. 

Read Psalm 139:7–16. You are seen and created in his image. God’s presence brings light. Light illuminates what is hidden and reveals truth. In the process of personal examination when we seek the truth of who God is, we will be ready to see the truth of who we are. The truth is, he has created you and has knit you together in your mother’s womb.

Read Psalm 139:17–24. Search me. Now we step out in boldness and humility and ask for God’s searching. He knows you, sees you, and has created you. Now we can ask for his revelation as we personally examine anything that has gotten in the way of us living out our true identity as his creation.

Prayer prompt 1. Welcome Jesus to this moment, this place, and acknowledge his presence. Begin to remember your journey to this point and how God has already journeyed with you. Where have you seen God before? How has he been present? How has he already worked in you?

Prayer prompt 2. You are seen and created – as you engage in this moment of personal-examination, welcome the Spirit’s illuminating presence to bring light to the dark spaces in your soul. Take a moment to worship and praise your creator using verse 14. What darkness needs Jesus’ illuminating truth?

Prayer Prompt 3. Search me – pray using verse 23 and 24 “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” What came to mind as you prayed those words? Ask what is hidden to be revealed. Pray that the Spirit will reveal to you the things that are not in alignment with how you were originally created.

Key Quotation

We can pursue personal examination because Jesus is not surprised by what we may find. He also has the power to redeem, heal, and bring light to the brokenness of our story, relationships, and community. 

In the process of personal examination when we seek the truth of who God is, we will be ready to see the truth of who we are.

Jen Schepens, Envision of the Christian and Missionary Alliance