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“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:8-9 (ESV)

My husband and I have been redecorating our bedroom. We painted, put up new curtains, ordered new bedding and added a  few decor pieces. I wanted to send a picture to my daughter, so we positioned the bed under the window with all the pillows and throw blankets and the pretty things in view.  Snapped the picture and sent it to her.

As I took a step back, I tripped over a pile of stuff that had not yet been put away. Then I glanced around my room and saw that there were a lot of piles, and in reality, the bed was the only thing put together and looking good! I paused and realized that my room was a picture of my life. I put the pretty things out there for others to see, and I shove the junk away, out of view. But it is still there.

Isn’t that so much like so many of our lives??  In reality, I want to be real and let others see the stuff and the junk, which translates into my sin, emotions, or exhaustion. But the few times I have shown the junk, I have not been rewarded with reminders of my humanity.  I have been shamed into not being more godly.  I want to help others embrace the realness of living a messy life for Jesus, but that means being honest about my junk, too, regardless of how it is perceived.

How do we determine being real and human as opposed to living in a state of sin? One thing to remember is that we don’t become sinners because we sin, but we sin because we were born as sinners.  We all sin, we all have junk lying around.  It is what we do with it  and how we remove it that matters.

I was humbled as I have been listening to sermons on 1 John and reading through that during my quiet time.  God reminded me that He is not surprised by my junk, my sin, and not only is He ready to forgive me, but He says I would not have His truth in me if I did not admit my sin! Talk about a perspective change! We should all be confessing our sins to one another so that we are not deceiving ourselves. It is not a surprise that we sin, it is a surprise that we do not walk in His lavish cushion of forgiveness and grace. It is His kindness that leads us to repent, to get rid of the junk.

“Lord, may I be always ready to confess my sins to You and to others. May I have the humility to show the junk, not just the finished product. We love You, Jesus, and thank you for making a way for us to be forgiven.”

For HIs Glory

Terrie Tollerson
TRBC Women’s Life