Lord, Look Inside My HeartSýnishorn

Yesterday we looked at thoughts and attitudes that produce sinful behavior. Today we will get to the root sin in the heart that is at the base of those thoughts and attitudes. In dealing with sin, the heart is the most fundamental of all. Read what Jesus said in Mark 7:21-23.

Yesterday we labeled “Fear of rejection” as the attitude that led to yelling or lying. The root sin here is simply fear. In the roots of our tree graphic, you would then write, in all capital letters, “FEAR.” We also identified self-focus as the attitude that led to tuning others out. The root sin here is pride. You would write “PRIDE”—again in all capital letters—in the roots of the tree (see today's sample image).

Once we have identified the root sins that produce sinful thoughts that then produce sinful actions, we can begin to use Scripture against them! Be washed with the water of the Word by finding and meditating on Scripture that specifically targets those root sins. Find two or three verses that best describe your wrong thinking regarding your root sin and write them on a 3x5 card or in the Notes section of your phone to meditate on, memorize, and pray through.

So, for example, when dealing with a root sin of fear, you might pray through and meditate on Isaiah 43:1. Or if you are fighting against a root sin of pride, you might use 1 Peter 5:5. Read those verses now. How appropriate they are for combating these root sins!

Ask the Lord to help you begin to see the root cause of your wrong ways. Ask Him to give you wisdom. Do your ways stem from pride, fear, self-centeredness, bitterness, or unbelief? Fill in the roots of your tree with the two or three main sources of your sinful ways and begin to make the connections to your thinking, your actions, and your words. (Use the printed images from Day 1 or draw a simple tree. Use today's image as a sample to follow.) As you boldly continue to ask God to search your heart and as He continues to reveal those deep and hidden things to you, choose to bring them before God’s throne and receive His grace.