Does the Spirit of God point out our sins or does He call us deeper into Him?

My experience of Jesus is that He calls us deeper. When you go deep into God’s heart, when you hunger for more of His presence and pursue intimacy with Him, those things that don’t belong start falling off.

Who wants to gossip when you’re immersed in His love? Who wants to judge when you understand how much He’s forgiven you? Who wants to tear down others when you feel His love for them?

When we let Him satisfy our hunger and heal our wounds, those demonic invitations and habits just fall away.

If only we could see as God sees. All that is going on around us and in us.

With our finite perspective we trip up on what we see with our eyes. We often don’t practice developing discernment or asking God for wisdom (James 1:5).

We so want Jesus to come back for a Bride that is without spot or wrinkle. We so want the church to be spotless that we often pull out our Pharisaical spray ‘n wash. “Let me help you with that spot. Just stop behaving that way. Be more disciplined. Pray more. Read the Bible more so you stop struggling with addiction and porn.”

We think we can brush away sinful behavior through effort and toil. And many believe that that toil is the kind Jesus is pleased with.

We forget that Jesus looks at the inner man. Those spots on His bride aren’t issues that can just be dusted off through more effort. Do you know how many people struggle to hide their stuff? The shame they feel for lack of worthiness? How worthless they believe they must they be that Jesus doesn’t answer their prayers for help?

Do we think people like their sin? Some do, but those aren’t the ones I’m interested in talking about. I’m concerned for the dads who hide in their offices secretly watching porn…and hating themselves for it. For the women who are depressed, lonely and driven.

I’m concerned for the teens that are cutting to relieve their pain. I’m heartbroken for the ones who try try try to STOP their behavior and then hide in shame for their failure…when what they need is healing for their brokenness.

And I’m heart broken when their brothers in Christ put more burdens on them by focusing on their messiness. Sin is a symptom of brokenness. Those spots on the church are not behavior issues, they are outward signs of root issues. Of woundedness, abandonment, generational bondages.

Jesus can fix all these things, we can’t. So trying harder, reading more scripture, praying more can actually lead you into more bondage (or least more condemnation and shame) if you think reading and praying can fix you.*

And when reading scripture and praying more doesn’t fix us, then one of two things (or both) can happen. Our belief in a powerful God shrinks, but we try to hide that too. Or we don’t believe we are worthy enough for His attention.

Bearing each other’s burdens is love put into practice (Gal. 6:2).

What do we want? Freedom and the more God promises us here on earth (John 14:12-14)? Or just to get by and wait for heaven?

And if we don’t have “the more,” what will we do to find it? Pursue your identity in Jesus first, then ask What next, Lord?

*I’m talking about praying from a lack of identity (orphan prayers) rather than through the power and authority that come from knowing who we are in Him.

Prayer

Jesus, help me to see as You see, to the inner person. Let me see past people’s facades to who they truly are. Forgive me for judging. Forgive me for pointing our other’s flaws. Forgive me for using other’s weaknesses to feel better about myself. Fill my heart with Your love for others and for myself. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Here are some resources to help you on your journey to freedom:

• New Life to Your Daily Devotions
• How to Hear God’s Voice
  
• Kurt Green – naturopatic physician who is gifted in seeing what blocks our freedom
• Prayers that Heal the Heart

Bible pic via Pixabay

Heart Passion by Kevin Shorter via Flickr