We all have things we deal with. Things that are hard. Sin we are trying to weed out.
We aren't perfect. Through Jesus we have the strength to become more like Him, to seek perfection.
I have said in my other posts how I feel people need to be honest with each other about their struggles. There seems to be this lie going around in the Christian community that Christians are "perfect" that they don't struggle and if you have sin, you can't be a Christian. This is a lie and I would like to expose it today.
If Christians are perfect and have no sin...I am not a Christian and no one I know is either. Being a Christian is not about being perfect, it isn't even about getting rid of sin. It is about walking with the Lord. Seeking Christ day in and day out. Reading His Word, letting Him change and move you even beyond your own plans or agenda.
As I was brushing my teeth last night God spoke to me. He said "when you focus on your sin, your guard is down and it allows for more to come in. You need to stop focusing on you sin, and focus on your walk". Here I am weeding out the trash at a complete stop telling God that I need to get this right before I can move forward. He convicted me that standing still was going to take a lot longer and that it would hurt more to get rid of it. See, if we all stopped to weed through the trash, no one would be moving. We focus so much on being "perfect" and not having problems that we never move. Christians are followers of Christ, meaning they are moving, walking in His light...even with their sin and struggles. We think we can achieve this perfect picture of a Christian...but that "perfect Christian" doesn't exist. It is a lie. And the enemy uses your desire to please God, to KEEP YOU FROM MOVING.
The devil wants you to stop, and analyze the trash, to stay focused on your sin...because you aren't a threat to him if you are at a stand still. And his goal is to kill us, and the longer we stay at a stand still the further we get from the Lord (who is always moving).
Jesus came for sinners. Not for perfect Christians. So I think that the more honest we are about our sin 1) the devil can't use it against us because it is out in the open 2)God has an opportunity to grow you as you walk 3)more people will feel comfortable trusting God because they won't feel alone in their struggle.
Sin MUST be confessed, it must be brought into the light...but once it is...you can't just put everything else on hold while you "fix your problem" because what happens if in a month a new problem comes...will you stop for that too?
Being a Christian means we walk by faith...trusting in God's Word that He would never leave us and that when we repent...that HE FORGIVES us. Sure when the sin is forgiven the scars or consequences might still be there...but you can't let them hold you down, you can't let them stop you from seeking the Lord and following Him.
I know there are people who maybe have had to put things on hold or stop being in Church ministry because of sin...but God doesn't require us to sit at home doing nothing until it is all done with...we still have to move with the Lord and seek Him. If you are waiting for forgiveness...when you say "God, forgive me for..." you are forgiven. God doesn't want us wallowing in self pity or staying as slaves to sin after we are forgiven...that isn't what Jesus came for.
Jesus broke your chains...now, will you get up and walk?
God also doesn't leave us to figure things out on our own. If you ask Him for it, He will give it. If you don't know what to pray, ask Him to teach you how to pray. If you don't think you have the strength to get up and go to work, pray for it. If you can't fall asleep at night, pray for Him to give you peace and to give you the rest you need in how ever many hours your eyes are closed.
Remember WHO God is. Remeber WHY Jesus came. And remember WHAT it means to be a Christian.
Don't focus on your sin, focus on your walk, and the sin won't be able to stay.
Active Christians threaten satan, not sinful people. Everyone is a sinner...but sin doesn't define everyone. Without sin, we wouldn't need a Savior. Let Him help you flee from it.
Scriptures: 1 John 1:8-10, James 5:13-16, 1 Peter 4: 8, 1 Peter 5:8-9, Romans 3:23, 2 Timothy 2:22
(Next part will be on the walk)
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