admitting our wrongs

I received a brief message from a trusted friend that said: “I was reading Isaiah 30:15 and was led to pray for you. Blessings on this day my friend.” Not knowing this verse by heart, I went to it. What I was anticipating in that moment was an encouraging verse that might affirm me in a positive way. What I got was this: “For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, ‘In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength.’ But you were not willing…”

One thing that I have learned to do is that when God speaks, I should listen. And, with this trusted friend, who is also a ministry leader in our community, in knowing that I can trust his heart, I wanted be open to how the Lord might working through him to speak to me.

Regardless, I can I honestly say that I’d rather someone else admit to me all of their wrongs, while keeping mine a special, little secret. And more than likely, you are a lot like me when it comes to admitting to others your shortcomings, your struggles and those things that seem to keep you from an abundant life in Christ. It is easy for us to have misconceptions about ourselves. We are remind in James 4:1 that there is war within us, and that we have a significant part to play in our behavior. While we have to accept the things that we cannot change, we must still take action with the things that we can. Admitting to our wrongs, whether that is a behavior or our words, it is something we can do. Blaming others takes no courage at all. Admitting our wrongs is courageous.

If one admits their specific wrongs, I have found that they will probably have to face at least four different aspects in that experience. The first is fear. Fear in the fact that this admission might cause others to leave you because of what has happened. The second involves anxiety and stress, or some form of that. This happens over the reality of the loss of “what was” and the pressure to deal with what is left. The third aspect could be depression. As a result of being left and losing things, one may face depression at the loneliness of their current circumstances. And yet, there is also a fourth aspect: love. Yes, when we admit our wrongs we will encounter loss and loneliness, and others may leave or have to leave, but we can also experience love – the love of the Father, and the love of our true friends – a love that takes us towards restoration.

In looking at the context of Isaiah 30, you would see that in the first 17 verses the people of God are being warned not to make an alliance with another group of people. And verse 18 through 33 reveal that the longing of God is to be gracious to His people, while remaining holy and just. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 says: “God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.” The spiritual reality is that when we abide in the love of God, and not fear or stress, and when we have taken a real look at ourselves, we can more freely admit to what we have done to ourselves, to the Lord and perhaps, to others. We can do this because of the gracious posture God has towards His beloved, while keeping His purpose for our lives close to the heart which is our holiness and purity in this life.

And when you do, when we are courageous to admit our wrongs, what we actually loose is that sense of isolation, we loose that desire to do wrong, we can also loose our unwillingness to forgive, and we can address our false pride and those misconceptions we have created for ourselves and bought into throughout time. The great news in all of this is that in exchange for our wrongs we can receive healing (James 5:16); we can experience freedom (Psalm 107:13); and, we can get real help and support (1 John 1:9).

And just like you, I desire to be courageous and to abide in the loving restoration of the Father.

May we then purpose to be, a mighty movement of the Lord that is so consumed with Him and His promises for our lives that we live honestly and authentically in all that we do. And may His church, may those who call themselves Disciples of Christ, may they be known for, not what they can do themselves, but, for what the Lord has done in and through us!