How to Forgive When It Is Difficult

Jesus said, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Matt. 6:14-15).

Jesus spoke these words immediately after teaching His disciples to ask God to forgive “my” sins (transgressions) as I forgive those who sin against me. Knowing that if I don’t forgive others, God won’t forgive me is a convincing reason to forgive quickly.

But sometimes the wounds are deep and forgiveness is hard. If that’s where you are, choose to forgive, and ask the Lord for His help.

If forgiveness doesn’t seem to stick or if the pain hangs around, returns, or bitterness creeps in, then consider something I learned from Rich Gartrell as he prayed with somebody who lacked freedom in the Lord because of deep wounds that continued to haunt them.

He pointed out that there are three aspects of full forgiveness. (1) Forgive the person; (2) Forgive what the person did; and (3) Forgive the person for the consequences of their action(s).

1. Many times, with simple offenses, when you forgive the person, it’s a done deal. The air is cleared and all is well in the relationship.

2. However, if the dividing wall still stands, if you still feel the need to defend yourself or help them understand where they wronged you, more work needs to be done. In your heart, (out loud if it’ll help), forgive the person for what they did. If you judged them for their sin, name the sin. Be specific as you offer forgiveness.

3. If the wound is deep or if unforgiveness lingers, forgive the person for the consequences of their actions. Examples when this could, and probably would, be needed are cases of abuse that left feelings of shame, guilt, or worthlessness. It could also be from infidelity and/or desertion of a spouse that leaves lasting damage to the children. In both, the consequences are great and are lasting.

Often, after making the hard choice to forgive the perpetrator of these—and similar offenses—the unforgiveness pops back up when a consequence is obvious once again, or even from a memory. If and when that happens be sure all three steps of forgiving have been taken.

If you have forgiven the person, their actions, and the consequences and feelings of unforgiveness pops up again,

1. then declare, “Get behind me, Satan. I’ve forgiven ___. All he/she did is in the Lord’s hands now, so talk to Him.” or

2. then forgive again if needed—even to seventy times seven times (more than we can keep count of). After telling Peter that we’re to forgive seventy times seven times He told a parable about a master forgiving a slave, and the slave then refusing to forgive one who borrowed a smaller amount from him. When the master found out, he was angry and delivered him to torturers until he paid.

Jesus then closed with, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses (Matt. 18:35).

Torturers are real, and they aren’t always in dungeons. They attack through doubts, and thoughts and feelings of guilt, shame, worthlessness, inadequacy and the list goes on. They also exhibit themselves in sleeplessness, arthritis, joint pain, autoimmune diseases, digestive issues, and more. And in emotional and relational issues such as anger, bitterness, fear, anxiety, need to control, and more.

Note: It’s not that these are always caused by unforgiveness, but doctors often say that many physical illnesses have a spiritual base, and unforgiveness is a source of bondage to torturers even today.

If your pain is so deep that forgiving the perpetrator is too difficult, and yet you want to obey the Lord and experience freedom from the bondage that it brings, release that person to Jesus. Include the things he/she did, and the consequences. You’ve carried the burden long enough. Would you trust it to Him? He’s willing to take it. Furthermore, He declared, “Vengence is mine.”

He loves you and wants you to be free. He’s powerful and just. He will carry it for you. Will you trust Him with the burden?

Then thank and praise Him for His goodness and love!

Why Forgive?

Because Jesus died on the cross, we are totally forgiven. He paid the price for our sins, so we can enjoy freedom and new life in Him. Without His forgiveness, we would be doomed to eternity in hell. With it we can enjoy intimate communion with Him. Forever.

As I celebrated Easter, I couldn’t help but notice the contrast between our world today and the benefits of Jesus’ gift to us. Unforgiveness abounds.

Name-calling, hatred, and personal destruction by targeted canceling are being used for self or agenda promotion. There seems to be no thought of seeking peace, much less forgiving. Instead it seems that animosity and hatred have spun out of control.

That’s sad, because holding unforgiveness and hatred is toxic. Nelson Mandela said, “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.” He could have used “not forgiving” in place of “resentment.” It is poisonous to the one who drinks it.

Forgiving does not let the other person off the hook. Nor does it excuse a wrong or imply that an action was all right. Instead, forgiving someone hands that person over to the Lord for Him to deal with them. It transfers the burden and responsibility of justice from me to God.

The burden of holding a person until they “pay” for what they did—while in reality, they probably can never pay enough—robs the holder of peace and joy, and negatively impacts physical health.

Most importantly, not fully forgiving blocks our relationship with God. Furthermore, Jesus modeled forgiveness, and He told us to forgive.

While He was hanging on the cross, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Lk. 23:34). We are also told in 1 John that, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn. 1:9).

If we follow Jesus and He has forgiven our sins, won’t we also follow His example and forgive others?

Peter struggled with this forgiveness thing. He asked Jesus, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” and Jesus answered, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matt. 18:21-22). That’s serious forgiving.

(For the rest of the conversation, continue reading in Matthew18:23-35.)

Matthew 5:23-26 shows that strained earthly relationships damage our relationship with God. Jesus said, “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

The verses that follow the Lord’s Prayer reinforce the message that we are to forgive. Jesus continued, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Matt. 6:14-15).

It’s hard to misinterpret that. If we want God to forgive us, we need to forgive those who offend us.

We like the quote from Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” That verse makes us feel good when we put in our offering.

But, it isn’t just talking about giving money or even giving food to the poor. In context, Jesus is talking about forgiving. These words of receiving an abundance according to what you give follows immediately after words on judging, condemning, and forgiving. Jesus said, “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Lk. 6:37-38).

I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all been wounded. We’ve all chosen to forgive. We’ve forgiven many people. Many times. Even some people many times—in spite of the fact that our sinful nature tempts us to hold grudges rather than forgive.. Our present culture reinforces the idea that we have a right to be resentful and to fight back.

However, the fact remains, if we want to experience righteousness, peace, and joy in Christ, we must choose to follow His example and forgive.

But, sometimes the wounds are deep and forgiveness is hard. At times, in spite of our efforts, forgiveness doesn’t seem to stick and the pain hangs around, returns, or bitterness creeps in.

If that’s where you are, consider the passages above and the importance of obeying what God asks of us. When you feel the weight lifted from your soul, you’ll be glad you did.

Tell the Lord you’re willing to forgive.

Ask for His help.

If needed tell Him you choose to forgive, speak words of forgiveness, and ask Him to make it real in your heart.

Also, check back. I’ll follow up with more on how to forgive.

Meanwhile, may the Lord bless you and give you faith, courage, and strength to obey as you seek to walk out your faith by forgiving those who trespass against you..

God Loves the Fat – Part 2 (personal testimony)

(Part 1)

When I was 9-years-old, I made a public profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It was a very serious step for me. I understood that I was a sinner, that Jesus gave His life to pay for my sins, and that I now owed my life to Him. I was a fairly compliant child anyway, but after that I felt I owed Jesus, and I sought to give Him my best.

I was also human and failed in my resolve constantly, but my heart was turned in the right direction. At least it was until I was enticed by something that seemed good to me, and I slid into a period of rebellion.

I maintained my outward facade. I even read my Bible and prayed daily. I still believed Jesus was the Way and sought to serve Him. Nobody would have been alarmed by what they observed, but I entertained a secret that I knew was not pleasing to God. As the months passed, the joy of my sin decreased and the burden of guilt grew heavier. Still, I continued in sin.

I was sick from the toxins in my soul.

Finally, I could not stand it any longer.

One afternoon, I slipped into a chapel by myself. I knelt on the steps leading up to the speaker’s platform, with my head bowed low. Tears dripped from my face as I poured out my heart to the Lord.

I unburdened my soul, spewing the toxins that weighed on me, ridding my heart of sin, guilt, and shame as I laid everything before my Lord.

The heavy weight was replaced with feeling of peace, lightness (like I was floating), and freedom, plus an overwhelming realization that Jesus forgave me and that He loved me. My mind reeled with, “HE LOVES ME! He really does love me!”

I wanted to dance, twirling around with arms spread out and face lifted to the sky—like a ballet dancer (which I definitely am not!).

As I left the building, I could see myself twirling and telling everybody I met, “Jesus loves me! He loves me! And He loves you too!” I didn’t, but I’d never experienced such an urge. Or such a deep confidence in m Savior’s love.

Even though I’d tried to hide my sin, Jesus saw it and loved me anyway. Our relationship had chilled, but He waited patiently for my return. When I knelt in repentance, the knowledge of His great love became personal. Doctrine became reality. It moved from my head to my heart.

My life was transformed because I gave Jesus my fat. He embraced me with His forgiveness and love, and I will never be the same.

Now, my relationship with Jesus—and with Father God–is personal and alive. He walks with me and talks with me, and I can’t imagine life without Him.

Years after this event, I became bitter at Robert for something he did. In the midst of our struggles, I didn’t realize I was bitter, but it threatened to destroy our marriage. It also disrupted my relationship with God. Once again, I served out of duty—along with a deep knowledge that I should because it was right and God is good.

When I acknowledged my sin and offered my toxins up to God, the sweetness returned in my relationships with my husband and with my Lord,

God loves the fat (the sin and toxins that destroy us) when we offer our toxins to Him. It’s a sweet-smelling aroma, because we are then freed to have sweet fellowship in communion with him.

How to Forgive When It’s Hard

Most of us are familiar with the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples. We pray it together, saying “Forgive us our debts—or tre Image result for image of praying woman spasses—as we forgive our debtors—or those who trespass against us.”

If we grew up in the church, we’ve probably prayed it so many times that we often don’t hear what we’re saying, but in those words, we clearly set the standard for how much we want God to forgive us.

Indeed, in the following verses, Jesus says that if we don’t forgive those who have offended us, then “neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Mt. 6:14-15).

That’s drastic.

And yet, how often, when we’ve been offended, do we let the offense roll around in our thoughts, stirring up our emotions?

We don’t want to forgive until the other person understands the hurt they have inflicted, admits their wrong, asks forgiveness, and/or suffers in like manner.

And so we hold out, unwilling to forgive until we see justice meted out to our satisfaction.

But, if we hang onto those negative thoughts and feelings, it infects our whole being. Harboring unforgiveness leads to greater hurt in our lives.

We may blame the other person, but it isn’t the original offense, but our unwillingness to forgive that causes rottenness in our hearts. Like a little worm in an apple or a pear unforgiveness eats away at our soul, making it rotten from the inside out.

Our unforgiveness quickly turns to bitterness toward that person, then toward others who remind Image result for Bitter Old Ladies us of them or who inflict a similar offense. Then our souls become so infected with unforgiveness, bitterness, and anger that our whole view of life is affected.

(And who enjoys being around a bitter person? . . . Not even the person him/herself.)

We lose sight of God’s blessings and the many things we have to be thankful for because our focus is on the negatives of life.

The solution is simple. If we forgive, we will be forgiven, and our souls will be renewed.

The answer is simple, but doing it is sometimes difficult. The hurt may be deep. The offense may be ongoing, with no hope of change. Others (well-meaning friends?) may encourage negative feelings by agreeing with them. Furthermore, the devil doesn’t want us to forgive, so he’ll keep stirring up the pain to keep it fresh, making it more difficult to forgive.

If you’re in bondage because of unforgiveness, you don’t have to stay there. A few steps can lead to freedom:

Choose to forgive. Do you want peace and joy, or to stay in bondage? Some people have lived in unforgiveness so long they don’t want to change. Consider your options, and choose freedom.
Then repent. Ask the Lord to forgive you for holding on. Ask Him to help you find freedom—and peace and joy.
Speak (out loud) words of forgiveness. Be specific. “Lord I forgive (name) for (action) and for (the specific pain(s) you felt). I release him/her into your hands for You to deal with them as You see fit. You take care of bringing any justice that is needed.”
If you aren’t yet willing to pray that prayer, pray, “Lord make me willing,” and pour out your heart to Him about why it’s hard. Close your time with Him with a commitment to forgive, such as, “Lord, I forgive (name). I choose to forgive, and I ask you to work it out in my heart.” Forgiveness is a choice. The feelings often follow.
The next morning, when you wake up, before you get up, pray again, “Lord, I forgive . . ..” And the next morning, and the next, and the next . . . until you wake up and no longer feel negative toward that person. Keep it up, even if it takes a month or two.
When the person re-offends: repeat the forgiveness, the dialog with God, the whole process. As you forgive them for the new offense, it is wise to repeat the forgiveness for the original offense. When we’re reminded of the original offense, we often need to forgive again—up to 70 times 7 times (Mt. 18:22)! Don’t be satisfied until you are freed and experience new life and joy.

When we don’t forgive, it creates barriers between us and God, family and friends, and even within ourselves. Nobody enjoys an angry bitter person. Furthermore, they don’t enjoy themselves or life.

The deeper the hurt and more difficult it is to forgive, the greater the release and f Image result for image of chains breaking reedom will be upon truly forgiving. Jesus died so that we could enjoy righteousness (right relationships), peace, and joy, but we can block the flow of those blessings if we don’t forgive.

Our Lord forgave us when we didn’t deserve it. We can do the same. Press forward to be saved and free to be enjoy life in Christ.

An Apple a Day

Our neighbors have a June apple tree in their back yard. They’re generous folks and allow us to take all the apples we want, and they’ve never complained about the occasional Image result for image of an apple tree apple pie that comes back their way.

The one disadvantage is that they aren’t serious about growing apples. To them it’s mostly an ornamental tree, so the tree isn’t sprayed regularly to rid it of apple loving worms and bugs. Consequently, preparation time takes a little longer because you have to discard bits of the apples.

It doesn’t matter to a pie or applesauce if the apple looks pretty or if pieces of apple are uniform and even, so I chose to first use the marred apples and save the pretty ones for snacks.

However, as I worked I needed a little more apple to fill up the pie, so I reached for an unspoiled apple. As I began to cut into it, I was thinking of the smell of a fresh-baked pie filling the kitchen when my husband came in.

The smile on my face faded quickly. The apple was rotten on the inside. It had just enough good apple on the outside for it to keep it’s shape. Its heart was brown and ugly. Several other apples had the same problem. Image result for image of a rotten apple

As I cut through those apples, I wondered if that’s how we look to the Lord. Are we marred with bug bites and bruises? Do we try to look shiny and nice, being careful to hide what’s within? Or, do we think we look shiny and nice, but God sees otherwise? Apples that haven’t been tended, taught me a lesson.

Some sins are visible to those around us, marring our desirable appearance and our witness. If we submit ourselves to the Lord’s discipline, those things can often be cut out just like the bad spots in the apple.

However, if we hold hidden sin and thus allow it to take residence in our hearts, like the worm or larva in the apple, the damage grows unnoticed, causing great destruction. As we try to hide it from others, the damage grows.

There is good news and bad news in this scenario. First, the bad.

Sometimes we aren’t aware that we have hidden sin. If, for instance, we lie or commit adultery, we may try to justify it, but our conscience knows otherwise. However, we may lean on someone emotionally or take special joy in their company and slide into committing adultery in our hearts long before taking physical steps in response to those emotions.

Likewise, we can unknowingly harbor pride, bitterness, greed, or other sinful attitudes that spoil our righteousness, peace, and joy, much less our relationships and testimony. Like the larva in the apple, if we hold sin, the fact that it is hidden does not mean it is not causing damage within.

The good news is that our God is a redeeming God. Unlike the apple that had to be thrown away because it was rotten, in Jesus Christ we can be made whole again. He will wash away the rottenness that blocks our relationship with Him (and others) and our usefulness in His kingdom.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9).

They say an apple a day will keep the doctor away. I’m thinking that if I remember the lesson of the rotten apple, an apple a day might keep the devil away. Apples, whether perfect or not, could serve as a reminder to submit to God, asking Him to show me if I am harboring any unrighteousness.

Will you join me?

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Ps. 139:23-24).

Just an apple a day.

Were You There?

“Were you there when they crucified my Lord?”

I was blessed when a group of children sang this at our church on Saturday. They were mostly children that we bus in on Wednesday nights. For the most part, their par Image result for image of easter lilies ents are unchurched and many of the children are unfamiliar with Jesus, much less the story of the crucifixion and resur-rection. The children had a program which shared the story before they had their egg hunt.

We are blessed to share the good news of Jesus. However, while preparing to teach adult believers about the resurrection, I realized we probably all need to regularly ask the question. Thinking of the main characters in the drama shown the light in my own life, leading me to ask if I was there.

The commotion began with the Jewish church leaders, people who gave their lives to serving God. Apparently driven by envy of Jesus and fear because people were following Him, they rejected Him as the Son of God, and sought to discredit and destroy Him.

They justified their actions by labeling Jesus a blasphemer, and they schemed and lied in order to get Him crucified. The church leaders were so busy serving God that they missed seeing Him when He was in their midst.

Pilate could find no fault in Jesus and was reluctant to rule Him guilty. He repeatedly said he found no fault and sought to free Jesus. He remained convinced that Jesus should be freed in spite of accusations that He was an evildoer, that He claimed to be king, and that He said He was the Son of God.

However, when the Jewish leaders told Pilate that “Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar,” Pilate relented. He wasn’t willing make Caesar unhappy and risk his power and position in order to save a Jew, even though the accused was apparently innocent.

Pilate tried to remain neutral, but you can’t remain neutral about Jesus. You are either for Him or against Him (Mk 9:40).

As I meditated on the scene, I realized that the same root problem turned Pilate and the Jewish leaders against Jesus is common today. Furthermore, the same problem causes me trouble.

The thing that turned them against Jesus was their own selfish interests.

Oh, I want to put Jesus first in my life, but the time I’ve set aside to fellowship with Him is too often cut short for other things. Sometimes, I don’t make the extra effort to reach out to somebody that’s on my heart because I just don’t feel like it. Or I turn to mindless TV instead of reading an uplifting book. Or . . ..

The reasons are many. Too often, minor, meaningless activities slide into priority positions.

I’ve committed my life to the Lord. I haven’t rejected Him like they did. So is this really the same?

I don’t know. I’m not judge, but I wonder if I’m more kin to the Jewish leaders and Pilate than I want to admit.

I wonder because I’ve known the Lord’s love and faithfulness and have seen His glory. After all His blessings, how can it be so easy to push Him aside for self-centred reasons? Or, why am I sometime like Pilate and am reluctant to take a stand and speak boldly on His behalf?

Do I crucify the Lord when I choose my way? After reading the brutality of what happened to Him, I don’t want to even consider the question.

Still, I know He feels the sting. When I put other things before Him, it is rejection, is it not? And it is for selfish interest, is it not?

He gave His all so we could be joined with Him as one. So we could fellowship and work together to show forth His glory on earth. And so we can experience righteousness, peace, and joy and be glorified in Him.

Instead of focusing on the crucifixion, and on our shortcomings, I’ve decided to ask forgiveness—after all He took our sins on Himself—and focus on the new life available because of Jesus’ resurrection. In Him we can find forgiveness when we choose ourselves and the grace to deny ourselves.

The cross is empty. Furthermore, if we are in Jesus Christ, we were there when He rose up from the grave. With the saints of old, we can cry, “Glory! Glory! Glory! in spite of our short comings.

Who Controls Your Life?

Image result for image of a girl on a jet ski “Nobody should have control of another person the way that man took control over my life.” The conviction in Alex’s voice left no doubt that she was right.

Alex Otte was talking about the man that ran into her on July 2, 2007, when she was 13 years old. It was the end of a celebration day at the lake. Alex was on a jet ski, ready to ready to turn into the dock when she saw the boat speeding toward her. Following lake etiquette, she sat still, giving the boat clear passage on either side of her.

Then she watched as the boat came straight at her. It ran up her body, split the jet ski in two, flipped over above her and fell back on top of her.

Alex suffered shaken-baby syndrome causing multiple brain bleeds and was in a coma for two weeks. Her jaw was destroyed, her collarbone broken, her liver split, both femurs shattered, and her lower leg chewed up by the propeller.

She was not expected to live long enough to reach the hospital. And she wouldn’t have without numerous miraculous “coincidences”—such as parents trained in emergency response and trauma care, the transport helicopter was only ten minutes away, an adjacent field allowed the helicopter to land close by, and more.

Once at the hospital and stabilized, Alex was given just 24 hours to live, but she beat all odds. She’s now a sophomore in college and spoke at our Ladies Luncheon on Saturday.

She shared her story of surviving 8 surgeries in 7 days, difficulties of learning to deal with life as an amputee, and lingering short-term memory difficulties from head trauma. In spite of the odds, her determination to live enabled Alex to begin school with her classmates in August, just 2½ months after the accident. She was passionate and powerful as a speaker, but what impacted me most was her response to a question.

Image result for image of teen girl in hospital When asked what led her, a 13-year-old, to forgive her offender while still in the hospital, Alex answered without hesitation. “Nobody should have control of another person the way that man took control over my life. And I didn’t want him to control me any more. I wanted to live my own life fully. I forgave him so I could move on with my life.”

It was harder for her family to forgive and has been made even more difficult because the drunk who ran into her has never been prosecuted, in spite of the fact that he had a blood alcohol level several times the legal limit.

Alex shared that one family member has still not forgiven him, and “she freaks out about everything. But I don’t have a problem. I am free to live my life.”

I couldn’t help but wonder how many people are not free to live their lives, because they are still controlled by those who’ve hurt them. Sometimes the offender is someone close and their wound is very personal. It could be someone at work, or even nameless people with a different ideology and cultural background.

There are many opportunities in life to be upset, but it’s our choice how we deal with those situations. We can hang onto the hurt and seek justice, or we can forgive so that we can live our lives to the fullest.

Alex is now 19 years old and she mentors other young people who lose limbs, helping them to accept a new way of life. She speaks in schools all across the state. She works with Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) and is in constant communication with them. She has helped pass a state law concerning drunk drivers and is working with lawyers to craft a law concerning drunk boaters.

She is also a designated driver for many college friends when they choose to drink. All that and more on top of a full college schedule and two part time jobs. Alex said she is grateful for her trial because God is using it for good, and she believes He is not finished with her yet.

Giving up and seeking revenge would have been easy. Instead, Alex is living life to the fullest, because she forgave the man who could have destroyed her. She took control of her life.

Through Alex, I’m confronted with the question, “Who controls your life?”

God’s Spotlight

This past week three well-known, admired people made the news because secrets about them have been revealed. Things they have kept hidden are now in the spotlight for all the world to know. It’s impossible to hide a secret well enough that God’s spotlight can’t find it in the darkness.

Once hidden secrets are now the target of articles, blogs, and tweets as well as sidewalk chat as everyone makes comment on the latest revelations. But I’ll refrain from joining their ranks.

I’m reminded of the time that the Scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who was caught in adultery before Jesus to be stoned, “He straightened up [from writing in the sand], and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7).

The woman’s guilt was obvious. She was caught in the act, but Jesus, the Son of God, did not join in the chorus of condemnation. Instead, He turned the spotlight on the accusers.

He led them to search their own hearts.

In response to the latest revelations, I believe that we too need to search our own hearts.

We need to consider:

Jesus said, “There is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known” (Matt. 10:26). We’ve seen how quickly and unexpectedly hidden sin can be revealed. God knows all things anyway. It is so much better to humble ourselves and confess in the appropriate time and place (Jas. 5:16) rather than be found by a spotlight.
God disciplines those He loves (Rev. 3:19). Sin blocks our relationship with Him (Is. 59:2). When He shines His light in the dark corners of our lives, it is an expression of His love for us so sin can be removed and we can walk in freedom and victory with Jesus.
We are all tempted (1 Cor 10:13), and we have all fallen to temptation. Jesus said that when we look at a woman with lust, we have committed adultery already. We may not have lusted for a woman or a child, but how often has our heart yearned for things that were not of God? (Matt. 5:28). Can we justify pointing our fingers at another?
Jesus said, “Do not judge lest you be judged” (Matt. 7:1). God is judge. It is not our place to judge the guilty person as to motives or to condemn him/her by our gossip.
We need to pray for the person that has failed, their family and others involved. Pray for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done in their lives (Matt. 6:10), or join Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians, “that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe” (Eph 1:18-19).
We need to pray for ourselves, that God would shine His light on any hidden sin and give us courage and humility to repent and confess. But for the grace of God, go I.
God will come to our aid to help us resist temptation (Heb. 2:18). Furthermore, He won’t allow us to be tempted beyond what we can resist if we call on Him (1 Cor. 10:13).

Instead of focusing on the sins of others, we need to ask God to shine His light on us. Like David, we can pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Ps. 139:23-24).

“God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:5-7).

We don’t have to fear the spotlight revealing our secrets, we can run to the light and be cleansed of our sins.

Declutter: Make a Fresh Start for the New Year

What is your New Year’s tradition?

We’ve been to a few parties and have participated in watch services of prayer and praise to bring in the New Year. I’ve also made resolutions, but haven’t done anything consistently enough to establish a tradition.

However, with the change of the calendar year, I do look back to see what God has done in previous months, and to review what I learned about life through things that happened in the past year.

I also look forward, asking, “Where am I going? What does the Lord want from me in the year ahead?” I have an inner since of making a new start and a question of, “Lord, what are you saying to me?”

His word to me this year is being reinforced by the deep cleaning we are doing as we transition an inherited house into our home. As I clean out “their” closets and drawers, I run into things that have not been used in years. As I take our boxes out of storage and go through them, I wonder, “Why did you keep this?”

I’m keenly aware that “stuff” is cluttering our house—and thus our lives.

I’m also increasingly aware that harmless—even good—“stuff” can quickly crowd out better things in life. I’m seeing that good can rob us of better. It can even cause harm–that we’re likely not aware of.

This is true in our spiritual lives too—probably more than in our physical lives.

In the last days it has also occurred to me that years ago, nearly every prayer included the clause, “and forgive us our sins.” The phrase was used so much that I heard a sermon from the ’80s about how that petition could become a meaningless ritual and that we needed to be specific in confessing our sins.

Today, I rarely hear anybody ask forgiveness for “our sins” unless they are repeating the Lord’s prayer. It seems that we’ve swung so far in focusing on God’s love that we forget that our sin separates us from the source of that love.

As I find forgotten things in closets and drawers, I wonder how much “stuff” I have hidden in the closets and drawers of my heart in the past year—or years. How many sins have I let pass without seeking forgiveness, i.e. without clearing out the dregs?

How many times have I grumbled, complained, or coveted rather than being grateful in all things? How often have I said hurtful or empty words, rather than being an encouragement? How often have I sought my own pleasure rather than seeking the Lord? How many times have I kept quiet when given the opportunity to give credit to God for His goodness and faithfulness? And so forth.

How much clutter have I deposited this past year?

“If we confess our sins, [the Lord] is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1John 1:9).

When we don’t confess our sins, do we bury them in forgotten places of our hearts, like the forgotten stuff I’m finding and throwing out?

In Psalm 19, David prayed, “Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. Also keep back Thy servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; then I shall be blameless, and I shall be acquitted of great transgression” (12-13).

In David’s words, it seems our “stuff” may not be harmless at all. It could rule over us. Some of it could be “great transgression.” The New Year is a good time to do spiritual house cleaning to get rid of the stuff that clutters our soul, an opportunity to unburden our souls of unneeded stuff.

We can then begin the New Year with a clean heart and a fresh start.

David offered prayers that are appropriate for the New Year, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Ps. 139:23-24).

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer” (Ps. 19:14).

Do you seek a fresh start in the New Year? What do you do?

Robert & Kay Camenisch encouraging and equipping relationships