Fans of “Harry Potter” know of the beloved character, Hagrid. Hagrid is half giant and the groundskeeper at Hogwarts, a school of Wizardry. Hagrid arrives into the “muggle world” (nonmagical folk world) to help Harry prepare for his first year at Hogwarts. As the two get to know one another, Harry is surprised to learn of the existence of dragons.

As their conversation unfolds, Harry learns that a dragon guards the high security vaults at Gringotts, the wizarding bank.

“Hagrid,” said Harry, panting a bit as he ran to keep up, “did you say there are dragons at Gringotts?”

“Well, so they say,” said Hagrid. “Crikey, I’d like a dragon.”

“You’d like one?”

“Wanted one ever since I was a kid – here we go.””

(Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, J.K. Rowling, Scholastic Inc., New York, NY, p. 65)

Later, as the talk continues, Hagrid shares with Harry that dragons are “vastly misunderstood creatures.” While I am pretty certain a dragon does not care if it is understood or not, Hagrid’s love for them caused him to see them in a different light. He saw the whole dragon and loved each one in spite of the fierceness others saw.

How do you feel when you are misunderstood? While you have good intentions, maybe they are taken the wrong way. At times you may try to share your heart, but you struggle to put your thoughts into words or are afraid to share what you are thinking. You feel no one truly understands who you are. Knowing the secrets of your heart, would they still love and accept you from the inside and out?

David has found the beauty in knowing the One who loves each of us completely.

“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!
If I go up to heaven, you are there; If I go down to the grave, you are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” (Psalm 139:1-10, 13-16, 23-24 NLT)

God knows all things. He is all around us and nothing escapes His notice. He is acquainted with all of our ways. He knows each word before it leaves our tongue. He knows every thought and the intent of our hearts. He places His guiding hand on us, leading us into the light. He knows each of us like no one else does or can because He is our Designer and Creator.

It is hard to open up and share your heart with a person who does not accept or love you for the person you are. When you find someone in life who hears your faults, takes you at your word and understands your intentions because they have learned your heart, you have found a person you can love and trust. You share easily and are open to correction because you know it is done in love and the desire for your growth as a person. You desire to be near them and have them be a part of your life. However, people fail at times, and even the best relationships struggle. There will be moments of misunderstanding and doubt.

This is never the case with God. God loves me in spite of myself. Knowing who I am and what I would become, He loves me with an unconditional, everlasting love that does not fade when I fail. God does not question the intents of my heart as others, because He knows them. He provides a place of safety and security, an atmosphere of loving acceptance and a drawing out of the secret places as He corrects and leads me to a life holy to Him. In prayer, He hears my heart’s cry. With God knowing me like no other, I can let Him into the secret places of my heart and find understanding, acceptance, healing, correction, and overwhelming love. Because of who God is, I can be who I am in a place of complete trust and acceptance. In that place of acceptance, I welcome Him to search my heart and transform me into the person He meant for me to be.

The same is true for you. God’s love for you causes Him to see you in a different light. God loves you like no other and loves you in spite of yourself. Take comfort in knowing God knows you well. Invite Him to search your heart and know your mind. He already knows you better than you know yourself, because He created you. As you let God in, you will find yourself in a place of overwhelming love, understanding and acceptance. Is there any better place to be?