Searching for Jehovah With a Prepared Heart

Honesty and Godly Fear

The prophet Jeremiah wrote: "The heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate. Who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) This treachery manifests itself in various way, such as when we make excuses for ourselves when we do wrong. It also appears when we rationalize away serious personality flaws. Honesty, however, will help us to gain the victory over a treacherous heart by assisting us to face the truth about ourselves so that we can improve. The psalmist displayed such honesty when he prayed: "Examine me, O Jehovah, and put me to the test; refine my kidneys and my heart." Clearly, the psalmist had prepared his heart to accept refining and testing by Jehovah, even though it may have meant acknowledging the existence of drosslike traits, so that these could be overcome. -Psalm 17:3; 26:2.

Godly fear, which includes "the hating of bad," is a powerful aid in this refining process. (Proverbs 8:13) While appreciating Jehovah's loving-kindness and goodness, a person who truly fears Jehovah is ever aware that Jehovah has the power to inflict punishment, even death, upon those who disobey him. Jehovah showed that those who fear him would also obey him when he said about Israel: 'If only they would develop this heart of theirs to fear me and to keep all my commandments always, in order that it might go well with them and their sons to time indefinite!" -Deuteronomy 5:29.

Clearly, the object of godly fear is, not to keep us in a state of terrified submission, but to move us to obey our loving Father, who we know has our very best interest at heart. In fact, such godly fear is elevating and even joy inspiring, which was amply demonstrated by Jesus Christ himself. -Isaiah 11:3; Luke 12:5.

Next time: A Prepared Heart Is Rich in Faith

Watchtower, 2000