I love social media’s “memories.” It helps me see my spiritual progress, reflect on the areas in which I’ve grown or need to improve, and reminds of many excellent lessons learned and taught.
The following is one memory that is worthy of sharing –
Something was on my heart (after receiving a mailer) that I felt called to address. After seeing so many popular phrases for Christians such as “Bless This Mess,” ”I’m a mess, but I’m His mess,” and the whole poem about “When I say I’m a Christian” (the whole I’m not perfect idea), I think something needs to be pointed out.
Some of us have used these phrases to mask or trivialize the fact that we sin, and—in our reasoning—that’s OK.
It’s *not* OK, friends.
It’s not OK to embrace sin. It’s not OK to blur the line between holy and impure.
I think we sanitize our sin so it looks a lot prettier than it is. In this era of political correctness, we have edited out strong words that evoke emotion and elicit strong responses. We hate, yet we choose to call it dislike. We are rude, yet we call it having a bad day. We lie, yet we call it stretching the truth. We are brazen and full of pride, yet we call it assertiveness.
True Woman and Revive Our Hearts
Yes, we are told to acknowledge the fact that we are sinners—
“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
“As it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one.’”
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
But we are told to confess our sins, repent of our sins (fleeing, turning away FROM sin and turning to God), and progress in maturity.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
“And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.’”
“And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”
“Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
“About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”
While it is crucial for everyone to see their brokenness and dire need for a Savior, they should never embrace their flaws, but should rather want to surrender them. We should “put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). Instead of “blessing” our mess, we should be asking, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).
*Karen Waddles, True Woman, and Revive Our Hearts do not sponsor, endorse, or is not affiliated in any way with Lights in the Darkness and its contents
Resources
All Scripture (unless otherwise noted): English Standard Version Bible. 2021. BibleHub.com and English Standard Version Bible. 2016. Crossway
Waddles, Karen. True Woman Blog/Revive Our Hearts. 2013. “Calling It What It Is.” Retrieved March 15, 2021 from, https://www.reviveourhearts.com/blog/calling-it-what-it-is/