Friday Fight 179: Taking Ownership:
Every Friday, when I wake and pray, God places something on my heart to help fight darkness beginning in our minds. Today is FF179.
How many of us are dealing with some brokenness and unsure how to fix it? We may recognize the brokenness in others but not as easily within ourselves. Over time, we push those hurts aside or hide them like the junk we place in our closets while continually keeping the door shut. What happens to our spiritual lives when we deny our sins while trying to seek resolutions elsewhere?
Taking Ownership:
We all experience the brokenness caused by sin in our lives, but how long we carry these sins depends on our willingness to face, acknowledge, and humbly give it to God with a repentant heart. Sin is designed to separate us from God and others, so when not addressed, our spiritual deficiencies can cause division, chaos, and often remove the desire to be helped. Not wanting to accept help can be the sin of pride creeping in which is destructive. It is essential to understand that to receive help, we must first take ownership of the sins we carry, ignore, or store away like junk. James 4:17 says, “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is a sin for them.” This is why self-reflection and acknowledging our spiritual deficiencies is so crucial. It empowers us when we allow God to take control of our spiritual journey, an undeserved gift we have been given through the blood of Christ on the cross.
Suppose we ignore the sins in our home but seek guidance from the church to find freedom from the painful things we are accustomed to carrying. We listen to sermons, maybe join a small group, and earnestly pray to God to remove the repetitive daily struggles that are slowly consuming us. This is a positive step in our spiritual journey. However, we often expect our spiritual experience to repair the brokenness we refuse to acknowledge at home. Imagine a couple struggling with marital problems. They decide to join a Bible study together in an attempt to restore the integrity of the marriage. The study doesn't help, but neither person is willing to address porn addiction or emotional affairs. Sadly, rather than accepting them, the church and God are blamed.
Christ modeled taking on the unfathomable pain of our brokenness, accepting ownership of what we fail to claim, sins He never committed. When the church doesn't fix what we deny, we blame it or become angry at God. The Holy Spirit is a gentleman who patiently walks beside us when we sin. He walks in truth and guidance, gently drawing us back to God as we walk in repentance. The Holy Spirit reveals one thing at a time, never overwhelming us but uncovering restorable things. His patience and gentleness are a constant source of comfort and reassurance, reminding us that we are not alone in our journey toward spiritual healing.
Rather than allowing darkness to rob us of God's goodness and blessings with lies about what we deserve, have been denied, or should accomplish alone, take time this week to face whatever sin has not been acknowledged and take the first steps in repentance. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to disclose it. Do not be fooled by the original sin, pride; it will always lead to pain and destruction. Take ownership of any wrongdoings and walk in His joy with others.
Pastor Shannon
New Life River Church