Yesterday was our home visit for our home study, which, for those who don’t know, is the process that approves a couple to be able to adopt. For more than a month, I had poured over every detail of our home, making sure that I had everything on the list completed.

Plug covers on all outlets? Check.

Cleaning supplies in a locked cabinet out of reach? Check.

Fire extinguisher readily accessible but out of reach of children? Check. (Interestingly enough, “out of reach of children” often means “out of reach of Julie” as well.)

Knives and other sharp objects locked away? Check.

The more I looked at the list of what the home visit required, the more items I added to the to-do list. In a way, that is kind of the way sin is for a believer. On Sunday, Scott Ardavanis spoke on 1 John 1:8-9. Anyone who has been a believer for even a short period of time knows that spiritual maturity doesn’t bring an increasing sense of getting it “right” with God. Instead, maturing spiritually has the opposite effect, making the believer more and more aware of areas that do not conform to God’s character and commands.

Scott had an interesting comment on this phenomenon and said that seeing more and more of our sin is a means of assurance of our salvation. I would have to agree wholeheartedly. Just like focusing on the home visit checklist made me aware of what in our home needed to change, the more I know of God, His character and His Word, the more I see areas of sin in my life that God graciously wants to conform to the image of His Son.

In the final preparations for our home visit, I earnestly prayed that God would give me an eye for detail to see any areas that needed my attention that had escaped my notice before. My desire is to have this same heart toward my sin. I desperately want God to reveal any and all areas of hidden sin, so that He can then work on my heart.

Our house was as perfect as it will ever be for our home visit, which is where the comparison to my heart ends. I will never be perfect this side of heaven, but I am thankful that God does not tire in continuing to “sin-proof” my heart.  Will you allow God to examine every corner of your heart?