"It is I who sweep away your transgressions for My own sake and remember your sins no more."
Isaiah 43:25
"I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like a mist."
Isaiah 44:22
Yesterday I did a 'clean sweep' of my home, dusting, mopping, scouring sinks and showers, steam cleaning floors, but today Lord, You are calling for a deeper clean. A clean not of the visible, but the invisible. A confessing of the heart. Father, You are calling me to repentance. Not a generalized, "Forgive me for my sins", but a specific acknowledgement of transgressions.
Your Word says that we are to confess our sins to one another (James 5:16), and Lord, I'm nothing if I'm not genuine here before friends who have come to mean so much to me. How easy it is to write words on a page and appear spiritual at a distance. How difficult it is to live out that life day by day in a world where feelings get hurt, pain happens and wrong choices are made.
Lord, today I confess the attitudes, actions and reactions of my heart over the past couple of weeks as I've been giving extra needed care to my parents. Lord, I confess my impatience, frustration, resentfulness and anger. Lord, I confess words not spoken, but thought. Unkind words. Words harbouring jealousy, envy and gossip. I confess my selfish need for recognition and acknowledgement as I bow on my knees now in humility. I confess personal desires that made me turn to others for empathy, wanting my reactions justified.
Father, I feel so far from who You created me to be. I fail so often. I choose my way. Father break me again of self. At this moment begin a new work in me. Strengthen me for obedience. I confess that serving is hard and self is strong. Today, Lord, help me make choices that honour You, living authentic in Your forgiveness. Only You can make the necessary changes in my heart. I surrender again to You. Thank You for the promise of a clean sweep. A fresh start. A new beginning.
As I leave and head over to my Mom and Dad's in just a short time, Father fill my heart with Your love for them. A love that 'washes feet'. A love that listens. A love that understands. A love that forgives. A love that abandons me and lives for You. Have Thine O way Lord.
"May Your righteousness flow like a river
May Your justice run like a stream
Your love it floods my thirsty soul
And Your grace rains down on me".
Jason Russ
***Friends I must add a postscript: I pushed "Publish Post", wondering if I should be sharing this today and where to draw the line with how real I become in 'bloggy' world. I took a journey over to my e-mail. One message was there. A devotional I receive daily. This is what I read:
"God’s plan for your growth and freedom includes other Christians. Authentic, honest fellowship is the antidote to your lonely struggle against those sins that won’t budge. God says it is the only way you’re going to break free: “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed” (James 5:16, NIV)
"Do you really want to be healed of that persistent temptation that keeps defeating you over and over? God’s solution is plain: Don’t repress it; confess it! Don’t conceal it; reveal it. Revealing your feeling is the beginning of healing. Hiding your hurt only intensifies it. Problems grow in the dark and become bigger and bigger, but when exposed to the light of truth, they shrink. You’re only as sick as your secrets. So take off your mask, stop pretending you’re perfect, and walk into freedom." Rick Warren
In response to confession of sins, the people prayed. May I ask for your prayers today?
Thank you dear friends.
9 comments:
Your transparency is beautiful, and touching. Thank you for this honest post that reminds me how sweet it is when we are real with one another.
Thank you for stopping by today!
In recent times, I found a blogger who 'confessed' to the same struggle I have had in recent times. You have no idea how good it felt to know that I was not alone, that someone understood my struggle. And you are not alone.
"Father, I do not know or understand the length and breadth of Joy's struggle the way You do. But I know that we have a High Priest who intercedes on our behalf. Please intercede on Joy's behalf. Grant her all that she needs to serve You in the capacity to which she has been presently called. Minister to her where she needs that healing touch, that balm that soothes and cleanses and heals. As she confesses out loud her need for You, go quickly to her and answer. May Your peace roll over her like a river. In the Nmae of Jesus, I pray, Amen."
This is an awesome post!!! For you see its not about so much me knowing or even needing to know your pain,sin, or struggles, but the beautiful opportunity of seeing your heart and obedience before God. For you are right there at His feet reaching for Him and Him alone. You will be blessed!
Joy,
I can only say "the same here". As I sat to pray once again for my husband who is struggling, the Lord called me to pray for myself. For forgiveness for being prideful, not showing sympathy, and impatient. It happened on a morning where he was still at home so I had the opportunity to ask him in person. Lord, please help me to walk by your Spirit and not in my own weakness.
You are precious, Joy. As I go to clean another room for my family, I will pray for you as you serve your's as well.
Confession is good for the soul. By speaking our sin to others, we diffuse some of its mystery. I've found this to be true, even as I confess sinful thoughts to close friends, especially to my husband. I think that our thoughts are the root of our sin. By confessing them aloud (even when we haven't acted on them), we take away some of the "hold" Satan has over our thought life.
I understand your need for confession here. We've all been at the same place in our lives; I know I have...a thousand times over. God loves you, Joy, even when you've sinned.
In fact, I think it marvelous that He's allowed you your thoughts via blog land. We'd all be wise to do a little soul searching ourselves. I certainly need to. I've been harboring some jealousy lately; honestly, when does it ever end? I'm 42. What in the world do I have to be jealous about?! Gracious...
Much love, sweet one. You keep me on my toes...
and on my knees!!
peace~elaine
Joy,
I loved your transparency in obedience to HIM and for HIS glory.
I too am going through a season of brokeness. This time, praise HIM, it is not due to my own living in a pit of sin.
I prayed for more light and to be delivered from an emotional wound that was quite deep and I held securely to for eons.
I am receiving the answers to my request and it started with an eye opening need for my own confessions of sin and from there it has continued on...
I am in a place where I really can do nothing more than depend on HIM and learn of HIM and trust HIM.
I would not have chosen this path, but HE did and it is working so much more in me than just the two things that I asked for.
I heard a minister say if we are not in a state of brokeness, we will be if we continue to grow closer to HIM. GOD draws near to those who are broken hearted and have a contrite spirit...not the proud.
HE alone knows fake pious humility and truly brokeness over a sin in our lives that does not bring HIM glory.
Thank you for being real with us. That is HIS way always...HE is most glorified when we give HIM glory in our own sufferings...not strengths.
Blessings,
Teri
Get real and get healed. When I was caring for my mom for 5 years I found that this was the hot smelting fire God used for some keen refinement in me.
I tried to be holy when I wasn't and that truly backfired for me and my mom. I probably prayed as honestly and sincerely daily as I have ever prayed. Then, Holy Spirit gave me the way day by day to walk that perilous path of honor and respect for Mom; while seeing to her better good. Preserving my sanity and staying alive became intersting life lessons as her health worsened.
I am now prospering in the wealth of that wisdom. I don't knwo how He does it, but in these tough tough places He makes you into His own. This will not be wasted, not one tear, not one blown fuse. He will use it all for eternal gain.
Thanks for checking in on me. I finally posted today. I love your word picture on cleaning. I hope all is well with you.
Charlene
Guess that's confirmation!?!
How beautiful is the transparency in the Body of Christ!
Blessings...His Joy...my first visit and I've enjoyed so much of what I've read! I saw other friend of mine here also so I don't know why I haven't been here and they know you! I saw you over at P31 Amy Carroll's blog and bounced over to check out YOUR PONDERINGS!
Looks like these are all great writers like yourself! Though this is an old post...and I posted on this day, I was not up to visiting at all that day! But this was,a s most of what I've been reading an inspirational BLOG and I've added you to my favorites, but I must
CONFESS: I hardly ever get around to all my favorites anymore but I hope I don't forget you when I need HIS JOY! God bless & thanks
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