Coming Clean

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God Matt. 5:4

Confession is go for the soul. I remember as a good Catholic kid getting ready to go to confession and polishing up my “sins.” Sometimes I really had to stretch to come up with some. I wouldn’t have to do that today. I have plenty to confess. There is much I feel guilty about. Getting rid of guilt isn’t easy, but it’s necessary.

Guilt Destroys Our Confidence!   The two cannot exists in the same person. Guilt is a dark cloud hanging over our head wherein we are worried that someone will find the skeleton in our closet that deep, dark secret that only we know about. It literally robs us of our confidence.

Guilt Damages Our Relationships!   It sabotages them by causing us to respond in harmful ways. Overreaction because of anger or impatience, or rage out of some buried guilt.   It causes us to indulge people unwisely. Parents that feel guilty over poor choices over indulge their children. It causes us to avoid
commitments.

Guilt Keeps Us Stuck in The Past!   It’s like driving a car, and we are always looking in the rear view mirror. We never see the present or look forward to the future. Only Spiritual Growth enlarges our windshields and shrinks our rear view mirrors.   If we don’t, over time our guilt will make us physically sick.
MOVING PAST GUILT:

TAKE A PERSONAL MORAL INVENTORY! This transforms our lives!   Follow this acrostic:

M – Make time to begin your inventory.

O – Open your heart and your mind.

R – Rely on God’s grace.

A – Analyze your past honestly.

L – List both the good and bad choices and events in your life.
ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR FAULTS!
Do be radically honest with yourself.
Don’t rationalize past behavior and conduct.
Don’t blame others for what we have chosen to do in the past.
Don’t deceive yourself.

ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS. God’s nature is the basis for forgiveness. There is no sin so severe that God cannot forgive.

Don’t Beg. Just humbly asking as God wants to forgive you more than you want His Forgiveness.

Don’t Bargain. If you say you will never do something again that is your weakness, you will be setting yourself up for failure.

Don’t Bribe. If you say you will do something, such as go to church or tithe or help the poor, you are playing God. He wants you to freely admit your transgressions to Him and turn from them to His purpose for you.

Do Believe. Know He will forgive you! He forgives your sin and makes you thoroughly clean from all that is evil.

ADMIT YOUR FAULTS TO ANOTHER PERSON!     “Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” James 5:16. Why must another person be involved? Simply, because the root of our problem is relational! We lie to each other,deceive each other, and are dishonest with each other. We wear masks and pretend to have it together. We are only as sick as our secrets! What you reveal will be healed!

Whom Do You Tell? CAUTION! Don’t broadcast your sins!
(1) Only share with a SAFE & TRUSTWORTHY PERSON (someone that can keep a confidence).

(2) Ask someone who understands the VALUE of what you are doing and understands you journey of
transformation

(3) Ask someone MATURE enough not to be shocked.

(4) Ask someone who Knows the Lord well enough to show His Forgiveness to you.

When Do You Do It? ASAP! Don’t Procrastinate!
ACCEPT GOD’S FORGIVENESS AND FORGIVE YOURSELF!
1. GOD Forgives Instantly;

2. GOD Forgives Freely; and,

3. GOD Forgives Completely!