Facing our stones
Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” (NIV)
Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, 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 of everlasting.” (NIV)
What battle are you fighting today? Relational turmoil? Employer struggles? Family drama? Politics? You are focused on how “they” need to change.
It’s so much easier to throw our stones than face them. I have a hand full of stones I’m itching to throw too.
But wait.
Why are we so angry? Why are we determined to be right? Why is it so hard to recognize our own sin?
Because we live under the controlling influence of our sinful nature, rather than the controlling influence of the spirit. The Holy Spirit convicts and reveals our sin.
Those of us who are seeking to follow Jesus must battle sin and that runs from Genesis to Revelation. In the Old Testament. God choose the Jews to be His people. He set them apart from others and gave them their own nation of Israel. They were to live a completely different lifestyle than their neighbors, and that was challenging. God instructed the Jews to destroy and kill the surrounding nations so they would not have a negative influence on Israel. The battle was outward with swords, armor and muscle.
They didn’t succeed. They didn’t obey God. The surrounding nations defeated them.
Every day we sin and we could either fall further into hopelessness or believe that Jesus continues to cover our sin with his blood. Every day, we remind ourselves that hope is possible through Jesus.
Jesus came onto the scene during the First Century in Judea and changed the way sin was dealt with. Rather than sacrificing a lamb, He sacrificed himself. He established a New Covenant. He did what no human could do. He defeated the forces of evil by suffering death on a cross. He was buried for three days and by the power of God, resurrected. No other human has ever done that.
Yes. Jesus did for us what we could not do on our own.
That’s the Gospel message, and that is what all believers cling to as we struggle in our sin. Jesus becomes our hope. Bridges says that we need to “preach the Gospel to ourselves” before we face our sin. We need to remind ourselves every day that what Jesus has done is enough to cover ALL our sins and we are therefore pardoned. That frees us to begin the process of dealing with “respectable sins.”
Maybe you aren’t ready to face one of your respectable sins. Anger. Pride. Ingratitude. That’s okay. Inward reflection is hard work, but necessary if you want to grow in your faith. Jesus will patiently wait for you until you are.
I also find this image comforting. Bridges writes:
“God is not watching from His heavenly throne growling, “When are you going to get your act together? When are you going to deal with that sin? Rather, He is, as it were, coming alongside us, saying, “We are going to work on that sin, but meanwhile I want you to know that I no longer count it against you.” God is no longer our judge; He is now my heavenly Father, who loves me with a self-generated, infinite love, even in the face of our sin.” pg. 28
Your life will be radically different when you consistently pray over your subtle (respectable) sins and ask for the Holy Spirit’s help.
You will experience peace that surpasses the world’s understanding. Genuine peace, not the absence of conflict. Each time you encounter situations that might trigger your respectable sins, you ask for the Holy Spirit’s help. When you and the Holy Spirit are working together, the sins of others’ won’t bother you nearly as much.
Call to Action:
1. Find a quiet place with a Bible, pen and notebook and open your Bible to Psalm 139: 23-24. Read it out loud. “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. and asking the Holy Spirit to reveal your respectable sins to you. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way of everlasting.”
2. Ask the Lord to reveal a specific “respectable sin.”
3. Sit in silence for a few moments, jotting down any thoughts that come to mind as you wait for the Holy Spirit to speak to you.
4. Preach the Gospel to yourself. Turn to Isaiah 43:25, which states that “I am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”
5.Understand your dependence on the Holy Spirit
6. Cultivate the practice of prayer
We have been fighting the wrong battle. We need to remember who the real enemy is. Not the government, not our co-workers, our in-laws or family. We need to focus our battles against our flesh, our respectable sins, not the sins of others because the only person we can control is ourselves.
Let’s Pray:
Holy Spirit, gently convict us of one respectable sin. Help us relax our grip on our fist full of stones we feel justified in throwing, and lay them at the cross. Give us the desire for some self-reflection and open our hearts to what you want to teach us. Amen.