He Understands Me

Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite. Psalm 147:5 (New American Standard Bible)

There are times when I read a portion of Scripture and all of a sudden something will stand out that I never saw before. Psalm 147 gives an eloquent portrayal of God’s strength and knowledge but today it became personal for me. God, who is all knowing, helped me to see that He understands me thoroughly. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve known that He knows me….He even knows the number of hairs on my head. He knows my past and my future. He knows my likes and dislikes. He knows my strengths and weaknesses. He knows my failures and successes. I know all that but today I was drawn toward the fact that He not only knows me and knows all about me, but he UNDERSTANDS me! He understands why I do the things I do and why I feel the way I feel. He understands my thought patterns and mind sets. He understands what is good for me and what is harmful to me. Considering I don’t always understand myself and the people in my life don’t completely understand me, this truth is huge for me!

One of the things I like about God is that He is willing to show me how much He understands me. Let me illustrate. Recently I have wondered why I often hesitate to admit to those closest to me when I am struggling in some way. People may ask me if I am okay or if something is wrong and I will give a shallow answer in hopes of diverting their attention. Even the few who are willing to listen find that I am more apt to share things with them AFTER the struggle is over. While I knew some reasons for this, God helped me to see something I was missing.

My make-up is such that if I begin to share my problems with people I will find myself needing to talk to them about EVERY problem. Those who help me climb out of the pits I find myself in will eventually become the “saviors” I am looking for. They will easily become my comforters, counselors, and guides in place of God. That is idolatry and I am so prone to it. It is that understanding of me that God has! Therefore, He has given me a built in guard rail that sees some wisdom and safety in choosing to share the difficulties with others AFTER He has helped me walk through them. While there will still be times I confide to a few when the battle is raging, I hope it becomes the exception and not the rule. I will be the first admit I don’t know if this but self protection or a true step toward freedom. So I will once again look to my Father for the answer, because He really does understand me.

Father, I rest in Your understanding of me. I trust You to show me if I am mistaken in this area. I long for the balance between You and the precious people You continue to bring across my path. Help me to walk by faith in You and Your ways. Amen.

He Knows My Name by Maranatha Singers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXsiWoyjw60