The Lord Searches the Heart

I’m in beautiful California enjoying the sunshine. Yesterday when I left Utah they finally had sunshine. I’m counting on it still being there when I get home.

It is interesting how every time I prepare to do the Truth Seminar I learn more. For the past few months my daily scripture study has consisted of reading and marking a new set of scriptures with anything I find that has to do with Living in Truth. I’m using a green pencil to mark the verses and suddenly my scriptures are green.

One thing that appears over and over again is that the Lord judges us more by our motives than by our actions. We’ve all had experiences when we’ve desired and planned to do something good and it back fires. The recipients misunderstand or pride makes them react in adverse ways. But the Lord still credits the act for our good because He knows our intentions.

As He says in the book of Jeremiah, “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doing” (Jeremiah 17:10). He gives us the agency to do what we want and then judges us by the actions we choose but also the heart or the motivations that prompt the actions.