How do you deal with things you hate doing? Most people don’t like doing dishes, and as a result may let them pile up until they use all the spoons and then decide something has to be done. The same may be said of laundry, garbage, doing taxes, etc, and other things that are not really enjoyable activities. The problem with putting these things off is that it becomes more of an inconvenience when there are not clean plates to use, or when things start to smell from needing cleaned up or washed. If you have ever visited a teenager’s room, or let garbage sit for too long, your nose can lead you in the direction of things that need addressed. If you don’t do something about the things that stink in your life, it doesn’t go away and only gets worse. How do you deal with the messes in your life?
Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13
Do you have an area of your house where things go to hide? Maybe it is a spare room, basement, or garage that collects things that are out of season, need repaired, or that you want to give to someone you don’t see often? There are sections of our garage where I know I put things, but that needs organized better to find them quickly. Putting things out of sight doesn’t really help us deal with them, because we quickly forget about them and go on with the things right in front of us more easily. It is easy to do this with material things in our life, but eventually we or someone else has to deal with them at some point. It is not always as easy to deal with issues, relationships, and emotions we try to put off or ignore when we really need to deal with them as well. What things have you been putting off that need addressed?
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
How do you deal with sin in your life when you realize that’s what it is? When the things that are detestable to God become detestable to us, we usually come up with one of several responses. We can ignore it and pretend it doesn’t exist, put it off and downplay its seriousness, try to justify it and accept it in our lives, or deal with it and remove it now. Most of these techniques are called sin management, where we try to avoid, hide, or walk around the issue without really dealing directly with it. When we want to repent and turn away from sin as much as God wants us to, there is usually only one option that is acceptable. You may need to repent and turn from that issue several times more, but when you do, it usually becomes less of an issue each time. God wants us to confess it and deal with it instead of hiding it or justifying it.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:10-12
There comes a feeling of satisfaction and even joy when you get all those dishes done or realize that the garage is as clean and organized as it has ever been. The same is true when you confront and deal with the sin in your life that you have been ignoring or trying to juggle for some time. It is not an easy thing to do, but there is joy to be found when you confess and address and make strides in overcoming those things that keep you imprisoned. And just like a clean garage eventually gets messy again, there are things we will need to revisit again, but it does get better. May you find joy in that process as well!
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Acts 3:19
Yours in Christ,
Clark
