Honestly Speaking (5)
Friday June 26, 2015
Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. (Proverbs 28:13 NIV)
All of us wrestle with our conscience regarding situations we struggle with. We may lie to ourselves and pretend that what we have done is not as bad in comparison to what others have done. We may also minimize how our conduct negatively impacted others. When we are in denial, we try to work hard at being “good,” to counteract the wrong we know we have done. In order to truly put the past to rest, we must stop rationalizing our past behaviour, acknowledge the error of our ways, realize the hurt we’ve caused, and turn away from this destructive way of life. God created us for a life in loving relationship with Him. All destructive and addictive behaviour is rooted in the breakdown of that relationship. That’s the exact nature of all our wrongs.
For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight—That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge. (Psalm 51:3-4 NKJV)
What are some of the ways we've gone wrong?
· We've shaped our lives and sorted our problems based on our own understanding.
· We've been unwilling to live and trust and surrender to the only wise God.
· We’ve told ourselves that God is absent or surprised by our circumstances.
· We've believed the lie that our problems are caused by what is around us rather than what is in us.
Doing things our way actually creates greater problems for each of us. It’s time to admit that we cannot do life on our own and that we really do need God’s help. It’s time to surrender our self-control and our life to God who cares for each one of us and will never leave or forsake us.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV)
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