I belong to an online Bible Study. The reading this morning prompted me to write the following. These are useful thoughts about sin, forgiveness, confession, and God's love for all of us To consider.
The study focused on Psalm 32:1-5.
“ the psalmist wrote, “ day and night your hand of discipline is heavy on me. my strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. finally, I confessed my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself I will confess my Rebellion to the Lord.’ and you forgave me. All my guilt is gone!” (message)
I want to say several things this morning in response to the reading. the first thing is that I will confess every morning I read the post and the comments. I spend time contemplating the word. I often have thoughts About the readings that I would like to contribute to the discussion. It is often because of laziness, lack of time, fear, or just a general feeling of I can't do this that I fail to contribute. When I do not post in the Conversation It is because I am allowing my fears and insecurities get in the way of speaking or in this case writing that which I feel encouraged by God to say to others. The sins of pride and disobedience to God get in my way. I am concerned that others will disregard my words. Another way of saying this would be I am afraid others will feel my words are not meaningful. Having been a pastoral counselor for the past seven, almost eight years I often combined my psychological training with my theological education and in doing so I will often write things that address both the human or psychological aspects of the conversation and the Theological ideas in the scripture. I suppose I am afraid others won't get me!
I remember many years ago sitting with Fil Anderson, a pastor at my local church, and telling him about how I was always trying to hide my sins from God. I was trying to hide. I also told him that I realized how impossible this was and how much emotional energy it took to do this. I had come to understand that God was everywhere and I could not hide from a God who wants to know me. These many years later I now understand that God wants to know and love me so that he can offer to me his grace and forgiveness.
As the psalmist says” God my shepherd! I don't need a thing, you have bedded me down in Lush Meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from, true to your word you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.” Psalm 23 The Message.
When we accept God, Jesus, into our lives and confess our sin we can enter into the place where God takes care of all our needs. we are no longer busy running and hiding we can lay down and rest in God’s care. Isn't that what the psalmist is saying in this reading? “ finally, I confessed on my Sins to you and stop trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “ I will confess my rebellion to the Lord’. And you forgave me. All my guilt is gone.
people often spend much of their time trying to hide their true selves from others and from God. this results in Brokenness and fear of being found out. Carl Rogers once said,” what a person really needs is a place where they can be completely and authentically themselves without fear of judgment.” I wonder Isn't that another way of saying, for people to be truly healed they need is God?
Because I am partially blind I use speech to text to write my thoughts. I hope my readers will Please excuse any typographical errors. I don't always catch them when I'm proofing my work.
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