Having A Clean Slate

I must admit that when I first came across this passage, I was not excited about the subject.  It wasn't "Chicken Soup For My Soul".  Passages like Psalm 32:1-5 remind me of the saying "This Is Going To Leave A Mark" which is one of the many things I love about the Bible.  No matter how "far" I think I have come, it reminds me on a daily basis of the baggage I carry and the games I try to play with sin.  I like many have tried to live in the area of "sin management".  Do you know what I mean?  Saying things like I can handle it, I deserve it, I see no immediate consequences, God won't mind this one time, it's someone else's' fault, I'm the victim here, etc. (Genesis 3:1-7) Even worse is the carrying of guilt associated with the past mistakes and consequences of  the "falling short" (Romans 3:23) of God's standard.  King David certainly knew the highs and lows of having a relationship with God.  He was "a man after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:13-14) yet still had some epic failures. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that no one is perfect in and of themselves.  When I try to "manage" my sin, it's my way of carrying it and dealing with it.  The more I carry it, the less likely I am to give it to God (Confess) and the heavier my burden becomes.  This passage encourages me and hopefully you too.


Psalm 32:1-5

 1 Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! 2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,[b] whose lives are lived in complete honesty! 3 When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. 4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. 5 Finally, I confessed all 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.

I find the following truths in my life from this passage:

  1. Living a life of honesty (Clean Slate) before God brings Joy and Freedom (Verses 1 &2)
  2. Living life in a "confessed" state helps me to make better choices, live in a less confused state, love better, and not hate myself so much. (Verse 3)
  3. Trying to hide my sin and run from God leaves me exhausted (verse 4)
  4. Letting Go (Confessing Brings Freedom) I'm reminded of those who have run from the law for many years that say they are happy when they get caught because it means they no longer have to run.
  5. When I stop playing games, my guilt is gone.  I still will have to live with the consequences of sin, but the penalty of that sin has been paid. (Hebrews 2:17) This is NOT a "Get out of Jail Card".  Sin still brings emotional, physical and spiritual baggage that must be dealt with, but it encourages me to know that the "weight" of it is forgiven. (Verse 5)

To anyone who may read this post, let me encourage you experience the joy of confession.  For those who have made the decision to follow God through a relationship with Christ, remember that we are not perfect and these times of confession allow us to "shake the dirt' off of our lives.  As a youth pastor I have seen countless number of kids think they need to get "re-saved" to get that clean slate before God.  Salvation is not what they seek, it's confession.  It's living in a right state with God.  For those who have never prayed to receive Christ as Forgiver and Leader of their life, I pray you do so. Here's how!.

I certainly have not mastered what I posted today, I simply pray that it will encourage you as it does me to remove the things that may stand between myself and God on a daily basis.

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