Is It Me, Lord?
It was a somber night. The disciples had gathered in the upper room to celebrate the Passover with Jesus. They had no idea that in just a few hours, everything would change – the arrest, trial, and the cross.
Jesus, with a heavy heart, broke the news in Matthew 26:21: “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
You’d expect the disciples to start pointing fingers. “It’s got to be Judas—he’s always a little shifty.” Or maybe, “Peter seems a bit impulsive—maybe he’s the one.” But that’s not how they responded. Instead, each of them looked inward and asked, “Is it me, Lord?”
What a powerful, humble, and honest response. Instead of deflecting or accusing, they each considered the possibility that they might be the one capable of such a devastating failure.
The Danger of Assuming “It’s Someone Else”
Our natural instinct is to judge others more harshly than we judge ourselves. When we see someone fall into sin or make a foolish decision, we think, “I would never do that.” Or worse, we gossip, criticize, and distance ourselves so we don’t look guilty by association.
But the disciples’ response reminds us of something crucial: we are all capable of betrayal.
You and I might not hand Jesus over to Roman guards, but we’ve all had moments where we deny Him with our words, our silence, or our actions. We’ve all chosen comfort over obedience, popularity over truth, or convenience over commitment. The betrayal doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it’s subtle; it could be a compromised conviction, a prayer neglected, or a heart grown cold.
The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:12, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”
Humility begins when we stop assuming “it’s them” and start asking, “Is it me, Lord?”
A Posture of Self-Examination
The disciples’ question wasn’t just rhetorical. They were sincerely concerned. They trusted Jesus more than they trusted themselves. That’s a rare quality in today’s world. Self-trust is preached from every corner of our culture — with quotes like, “Follow your heart,” “Believe in yourself,” and “You do you.” But Scripture teaches something very different.
Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
In other words, don’t assume your heart is clean just because it feels clean. Ask the Lord to search it.
That’s exactly what David did in Psalm 139:23–24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
That’s a bold prayer. It takes courage to ask God to expose our blind spots. But that’s where real growth begins—not in pretending we’ve got it all together, but in admitting we don’t and asking Jesus to transform us from the inside out.
From Sorrow to Surrender
The disciples were sorrowful when Jesus said one of them would betray Him. That sorrow, that grief over the possibility of sin in their own hearts, was a good thing. In 2 Corinthians 7:10, Paul calls it “godly sorrow”— the kind that leads to repentance.
That kind of sorrow doesn’t wallow in guilt, but rather, leads us to surrender. When we ask, “Is it me, Lord?” we’re not wallowing in shame. We’re inviting the Holy Spirit to do His work—convicting, refining, purifying. We’re choosing humility over pride and repentance over self-righteousness.
Peter would go on to deny Jesus three times that very night. But Peter’s story didn’t end in failure—it ended in restoration. Why? Because Peter’s heart was soft. He wept bitterly over his sin, and later, Jesus restored him with grace and purpose (John 21).
Let This Be Your Prayer
Let’s be people who respond like the disciples did—not with blame or defensiveness, but with humility. When you hear a challenging sermon, don’t think, “I hope so-and-so is listening.” Ask, “Is it me, Lord?” When a passage of Scripture confronts your sin, don’t explain it away. Ask, “Is it me, Lord?” When your heart feels far from God, don’t distract yourself with noise. Sit still and ask, “Is it me, Lord?”
That simple question can become a powerful daily rhythm—a way to stay close to the Lord, to walk humbly, and to live in the freedom that comes from a clean heart.
Reflection Questions:
- When was the last time you asked the Lord to search your heart?
- Do you tend to point fingers at others instead of examining your own life?
- What would change if you regularly prayed, “Is it me, Lord?”
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the honesty of the disciples in that upper room. Help me stop pointing fingers and start looking inward. Give me the humility to ask, “Is it me, Lord?” and the courage to respond in repentance and faith. Search my heart, reveal what needs to change, and lead me in the way everlasting. In Jesus’ name, amen.
