Writing down what our sins are may not always be something we’re comfortable with. However, if you keep a personal journal it may be helpful to jot them down as writing can help you reflect on them. I recently tried to think about mine, keeping in mind to make sure I’ve:
- confessed my sins to God
- asked God for forgiveness
- offered my sincere apology to the people who I have committed sin against, and sought out their forgiveness
- repented, trying to see my sins in God’s way, and sought to experience true change.
I believe that I’ve done this, and am very thankful for the body of believers that have stood by me and helped me through this process.
As I’m thinking about this I also tried to identify a core issue…
… is there something going on that I can say is central to all of my sins?
… is there a common thread?
"Chief, this is 86, I think I'm on to something here!"
Sure enough I did find a common thread, and found enlightenment in the Bible…
the common thread for me is all of my sins can be summarized as doing something foolish. I’m referring to this as my greatest sin. Yep, I needed to “Get Smart.”
The book of Proverbs offers us wisdom that is useful to understanding our sins, as well as helping us avoid the pitfalls of falling into sin as we head on down the road:
“The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
for attaining wisdom and discipline;
for understanding words of insight;
for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,
doing what is right and just and fair;
for giving prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young –
let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance –
for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
Proverbs 1: 1-7
Do you feel you’ve done what you need to do to follow through with your sins?
How can we encourage each other to keep from committing sins?
