You Are Only As Sick As Your Secrets

In recovery circles there is a saying, “You are only as sick as your secrets.” Successful living is an ongoing process with God and trusted caring people of dealing with our darkest secrets.  This is how we truly come alive to the life God planned for us. 

The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.

Romans 13:12

Of course this dealing with what’s difficult in us needs to be done with care and with the right people.  We long for the relief and settledness that can only be found when our hearts are clear before God.  When we are unwilling to expose our hidden secrets, the guilt and shame from our past festers and causes harm to us.

In God’s Word we are reminded that there’s no punishment for those who admit and bring their failures to the light and ask for forgiveness.  Judgment is reserved only for those who pretend they have no sin in them and refuse to get honest.

There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.  And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.  All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 

John 3:18-20

God wants us to come out of darkness.  The longer we cooperate with darkness, the more we will hide from the light.  If we choose to remain in darkness we will not be aware of the light that leads to life even though it is available to us.  

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” 

John 8:12

Loving and forgiving God, we come to You today because we know that we need You help to sort out our hearts and bring everything in there to the light of truth and grace.  Jesus, You are the light that we seek and we invite You to come and work in us, particularly in those deep and buried places that we’re not even sure how to bring to the light.

We want your healing and to be strengthened by Your power so we can live well.  You said that if we would follow You, You would be light for us.  That’s our choice today.  Fill us with Your power so we follow the light that leads to life and joyous living.  Amen

Many of us are afraid to expose what’s dark in us because we are afraid of judgment and condemnation.  There is none of that with God when we turn from our broken ways, ask for forgiveness, and allow God to change us.  Any accusation or condemnation we hear in that process we can quickly send away because it is coming from the evil one.

Let’s welcome the light of Christ to shine on us and in us today.