How to Use Discomfort for GOOD!

“YOU have searched me (thoroughly) and have known me. YOU know my downsitting and my uprising; YOU understand my thought afar off. YOU sift and search out my path and my lying down, and YOU are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue (still muttered), but, behold, O Lord, YOU know it altogether.”  Psalm 139:1-5 AMP

These verses can bring great comfort OR they can be quite uncomfortable!

Let me explain…

This month, our Encouragement Kit and our Creative Hearts group are focused on verses from Psalm 139. In the Creative Hearts group, we are breaking this chapter down and lettering different verses each week, with the goal of writing these words of Truth on our hearts.  

In preparing the five weekly lessons, I found these verses so powerful and very intimate, especially reading from the Amplified version:  

“YOU have searched me (thoroughly).”

“YOU understand my thought afar off.”

“YOU are acquainted with all my ways.”

The longer I worked on putting these lessons together, the more I realized how these verses are perfect for renewing our minds when struggling with feeling unseen, unnoticed, or not understood. It brought me so much comfort reading them!

But what if these powerful words do NOT bring comfort and instead produce discomfort?  

Maybe reading “For there is not a word on my tongue (still muttered), but, behold, O Lord, YOU know it altogether,” might even cause you to squirm a bit because all those negative things you wanted to say, but didn’t, are still known by Him.   

Reading “YOU have searched me thoroughly and have known me,” brings with it the realization that HE sees and knows the woundedness of my heart. HE sees the pain that I don’t really want to deal with, so I keep it hidden in the dark places of my heart.  

Hearing “There is nowhere that I can go that He is not already there,” reminds me that I can’t hide my wounds, my brokenness, my pain, or my unforgiveness from the all knowing Spirit of God. HE sees and HE cares. I can trust HIM. My wounds, my brokenness, my pain, and even that heavy weight of unforgiveness can be safely entrusted into HIS care. I can leave it all at the foot of the Cross and exchange it for supernatural peace, freedom and healing.

So, friend, receive the comfort from these powerful verses BUT I also want to encourage you that even the discomfort can be useful! Welcome the blessing of the vehicle that leads you to the foot of the Cross! 

“Search me (thoroughly), O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts!  And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23 & 24 Amplified