Bragging About All Our Christian Deeds

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in Truth.  And hereby we know that we are of the Truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His Commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 1 John, Chapter 3, verses 18-22.

We could go around bragging about all our Christian deeds, but God knows what’s in our hearts.  He knows if we harbor resentments or biases toward others.  He knows if we are hateful and rude to our family members and people who are different than we are.
He knows if we give to others through our actions and our finances with a willing heart.  (Although I have tried to help others, I have often been guilty of being resentful for the amount of time or money I have given.  Fortunately, God has taken the time to show me this.  I do know that He would much rather that I do these things for Him with a willing heart.)

God can see what really is in our hearts and minds, although we can disguise it from others.  We need to truly believe in God and not just in outward ways.  We are to love Him with our whole heart and He will be there to answer our prayers and to take care of our every need.  (Of course, getting the high-level position you want at work may not fall into the category of basic needs.  God, alone, knows what is best for us.)

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.

This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 
Please click on comments below to share your suggestions. Thanks! Debbie