Recently I have found myself with an actual desire to read. For the folks that know me well, they understand that reading is not something I am particularly drawn to do. 😛
Regardless, it has been good as it has been feeding and challenging my heart and mind. I have picked up the book You Can Change by Tim Chester once again. Yep, you guessed it, I started at one point previously and didn’t stick with it. I also have a tendency to take a look at the chapter headings and pick & choose what my look good :). From this book I was drawn to the chapter “What stops you from Changing”. I am going to share a portion here that offered a new way of thinking!
Have you ever been frustrated or angry at your lack of change? Many people have said to me at some point, ” I can’t believe I’ve done it again,” or “I’m so cross with myself for doing this.” I’ve thought this many times myself. But listen to Ed Welch: “Perhaps the person is mad at himself for repeating the same sin over and over again. This is actually a veiled form of pride that assumes he is capable of doing good in his own power. He is minimizing his spiritual inability apart from God’s grace.” Jerry Bridge claims, “God wants us to walk in obedience not victory.” Our problem he explains, “is that our attitude toward sin is more self-centered than God-centered. We are more concerned about our own ‘victory’ over sin that we are about the fact that our sins grieve the heart of God.”
Isn’t this a bit sobering to consider? There is much selfishness even in conviction of sin. “I” want better for myself, “I” want to be seen as a good person of integrity. “I” want to feel good about the decisions “I” make. “I” wish I hadn’t got caught. In such thinking; We (I) fail to realize that sin is first and foremost against the Heavenly Father God. The Father God that is our creator and our rescuer. Our Father God that has given us everything.
With that my mind turns to Psalm 51 where we read of David’s prayer to God in recognition of his sin against the Father God after he had gone in with Bathsheba. May it be an example and guide to us & our hearts when responding to sin. ~Stan
PSALM 51
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit
Rescued Identity 
Amen! This is something that a counselor told me a couple years ago and it was a new realization that I’d never thought of before. She called me to repent of my faulty beliefs. Thanks for the reminder, Stan!
LikeLike