Examine Yourself

“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.” In this episode, Blake opens 2 Corinthians 13:5, where the Corinthians were busy questioning Paul — and Paul flips the script, turning the lens back on them. It’s the move we all need, Blake says, because it’s so much easier to spot what’s wrong in someone else than in ourselves. But genuine faith isn’t merely something we agree with; it’s something alive that bears fruit — the evidence, not the earning, that faith is real.Drawing on John 15 and Galatians 5, Blake keeps the focus on grace: the fruit is the Spirit’s work, not something we manufacture by trying harder, and self-examination isn’t anxious scorekeeping but a way of noticing whether we’re staying connected to the Vine. He calls us to make honest self-examination a daily rhythm — a running conversation with God that keeps course corrections small and quick — rooted not in fear of measuring up, but in love for the One who already loves us.Follow Before the Lord on Facebook (@BeforeTheLord) and Instagram (@beforethelorddevo). Get devotionals delivered to your inbox at blakescrawford.com/sign-up, or listen anytime at blakescrawford.com/listen. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and iHeart.