Integrity of the Heart
The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them. (Proverbs 11:3)
God wants you to be blessed in your health, relationships, finances, and in every area in which you have need. Sometimes we miss God’s blessing because we try to cover up our shortcomings or hidden sins. But God will bless the person who openly confesses and forsakes the gray areas within their heart. The Bible calls that person full of “integrity,” and that’s the kind of person God wants you to be.
God wants us to be completely transparent with Him so that He can dispel any darkness we may try to hide. If there’s some secret sin you’re covering up, allow the Lord to cleanse your heart from any defilement so that you can begin to enjoy the benefits of integrity.
Integrity will guide you: “The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them” (Proverbs 11:3). Sin in our lives will block God’s directions for making right choices. Clear up any sin that may be hindering you from receiving God’s instructions and godly wisdom. Integrity of the heart will make it easy for God to speak to you and make a straight path before you to follow.
Integrity will preserve and uphold you: “Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You” (Psalm 25:21). David knew that the benefits of integrity were long-lasting. In addition, your personal integrity will be evident to those around you, and it will be a protection in times of need. Look at Job. Even God commented on his integrity after he had lost everything he had, except a nagging wife (see Job 2:1-10).
He was so intent on maintaining his integrity that when he was defending his righteousness, he said, “Let me be weighed on honest scales, that God may know my integrity” (Job 31:6). In the end, God upheld him in his circumstances, and he was preserved.
Integrity will bless you. I believe that Christians don’t have to be poor because God wants to meet all our needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19). And look at what Proverbs 19:1 says: “Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.” Do you see how important integrity is to God? God says it’s better to have integrity and be poor than to have everything and be living in darkness.
It’s okay to go to God with some dark spots in our hearts; He doesn’t expect us to wait until our hearts are perfect before we approach Him. Let Him cleanse away the sin and darkness and set you free. Walking in integrity will allow God to bless you!
Today’s blog post is taken from Marilyn’s new book, Beautiful Inheritance, A 101-Day Devotional.