Being Honest from the Heart Brings Healing

“Who, me? I don’t have a problem with fear. Or envy. Or impure thoughts.”

“Who, me? I don’t struggle with unforgiveness. Or impatience. Or comparison.”

We might look in the mirror and think we’re doing okay, maybe even a tad bit better than the next person. But, human nature being what it is, we sometimes deceive ourselves. We deny that we’re struggling with an issue or fail to acknowledge our sin, and then we wonder why we feel stuck.

King David gave some great advice learned the hard way

After confessing adultery, he wrote,

“For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being” (Psalm 51:5-6 NLT).

Being honest with ourselves, others, and God requires admitting we’re imperfect. Doing so is humbling, but it’s also healing. Honesty—admitting when we’ve messed up—opens the door for forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration. It paves the way for us to grow in wisdom and learn from our mistakes.

Here’s one way in which I’m learning to apply this truth

I’ve shared publicly about my wellness journey and how I’ve lost about 65 pounds. I maintained that weight loss for more than a year. But moving aboard the sailboat combined with increased ministry travels has challenged the nice routine I’d established, and I’ve gained several pounds back.

My human bent is expert at making excuses, but honesty from the heart admits that I’ve made unhealthy food choices especially while traveling. I’ve also enjoyed a few too many chips in secret while alone on the boat. Ouch.

Being honest from my heart—that my weight gain is a direct result of my choices—is humbling. But admitting it and taking responsibility for it makes me wiser in my inmost being—and able to turn this around.