I caught Tatum today. She was doing something she was not supposed to be doing, and she tried to hide it. Sounds like something from…..THE FIRST MAN AND WOMAN, NO? Ok, so we all do it. We try to cover up our sinful ways, but as I told her, God sees it all, so what’s the use. Plus, I told her, that He’s not so upset about our sin but what happens after it. Do we ignore it? Do we hide it? Do we defend and justify? Do we minimize it? OR….do we admit it, and do we ask for forgiveness and try to make a change? THAT IS WHAT COUNTS, TATUM.
As Paul Miller writes from his book, A Praying Life, we have a fractured self when we sin and then try to hide our walking with God self and replace it with our naked hiding self. “Repentance brings the split personality together and thus restores integrity to life.” Well said.
She gets that. What happened you may be wondering?
Well, she ended up coming to me about 5 minutes later and telling me what she did and that she lied about doing it. She said she was afraid of what I’d think of her. I told her how did her heart feel when she was hiding and lying? It felt pretty yucky. Our conscience is pretty real and strong. It KNOWS, and that is the Holy Spirit.
After admitting, she felt freedom and clean. BUT FIRST, she recognized it with God and then asked for forgiveness. It’s amazing the grace we feel from Him when we repent and turn.
THIS is what He cares about. He wants our HEART! Our actions are not perfect, but what is perfect is His spirit inside of us. If we ask Him for His strength, He’ll help us overcome and do better. We also have a clear conscience and a short account with Him, creating a STRONG relationship with our Daddy in heaven.
I am so proud of you, Tatum; this is what character is made of. You are so loved!