Have you ever told someone your deepest, darkest secret? Are there secrets that you haven't told anyone going through your mind right now? What has stopped you from telling them? For me, what stops me from sharing is shame or fear of rejection. We crave love as creations of the God who is love. We desire acceptance and mercy from others as we do from Him. So naturally, we act in a way that we think will bring us those things. I would wager to say that most people have a secret that they haven't told anyone for fear of how others will react. But what does the Bible say on this matter?
The Bible says that we are to be sharing our sinful thoughts and actions with others in order to heal and gain perspective. We are to combat the darkness we struggle with by exposing it to the light. And a lot of the time, we need someone to help us see Jesus again in those areas.
James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. (NIV)
Ephesians 5:11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. (NLT)
This is a scary truth, my friends. We fear admitting our faults and struggles to one another. We think it makes us look weak or like a bad person. Well, Jesus tells us that we are to be living in the light! That includes taking that step of faith and confessing your mistakes to your brothers and sisters and more importantly, your Savior.
Just saying things out loud relieves a pressure that maybe we didn't realize we were living with. Satan likes to get into our minds and try to convince us of how flawed and unlovable and worthless we are. Well, we may be flawed, but Jesus died for us anyway. There is nothing Satan can say to change that fact! Yet he will do anything to lead us into darkness and away from our King. One of the ways he does this is by taking our secrets and sins and using them to torture us in our thoughts. We are so tortured by the thoughts that we dare not speak them aloud where they can hurt us more. But this is exactly what we are supposed to do! Why else would Satan work so hard trying to make us bottle it all up?
Luke 18:7 For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. (ESV)
Luke 12:3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. (ESV)
Psalm 44:21 Would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart. (ESV)
No sin you've ever committed is unique to you. Think about that. Every person on this earth deals with sin and it's consequences. There is no one exempt from it. There are millions of people who have had the same thoughts and made the same wrong decisions you have! Do NOT ever be convinced that you are alone in these things. We are all dealing with sin on earth. Let's help each other through it!
Today start to shed light in the dark areas of your life. Maybe start by saying a secret out loud to Jesus. Maybe share with a close friend something you've been struggling with. Watch how that step of faith lifts the burden of darkness from your heart. The more you share the things you fear judgement for, the more freedom and perspective of Jesus you gain! Jesus wants us to live like we are free from our sins because we are! It all starts by admitting it and taking the power of secrets and darkness away from Satan and giving it back to Jesus to heal.
And if someone admits something to you, DO NOT judge them. Hear them with an understanding and compassionate ear, and help them to turn the situation back to Jesus. Be a light in this dark world. It starts with you!
John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (ESV)1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (ESV)
John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (ESV)
Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. (ESV)
The Bible says that we are to be sharing our sinful thoughts and actions with others in order to heal and gain perspective. We are to combat the darkness we struggle with by exposing it to the light. And a lot of the time, we need someone to help us see Jesus again in those areas.
James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. (NIV)
Ephesians 5:11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. (NLT)
This is a scary truth, my friends. We fear admitting our faults and struggles to one another. We think it makes us look weak or like a bad person. Well, Jesus tells us that we are to be living in the light! That includes taking that step of faith and confessing your mistakes to your brothers and sisters and more importantly, your Savior.
Just saying things out loud relieves a pressure that maybe we didn't realize we were living with. Satan likes to get into our minds and try to convince us of how flawed and unlovable and worthless we are. Well, we may be flawed, but Jesus died for us anyway. There is nothing Satan can say to change that fact! Yet he will do anything to lead us into darkness and away from our King. One of the ways he does this is by taking our secrets and sins and using them to torture us in our thoughts. We are so tortured by the thoughts that we dare not speak them aloud where they can hurt us more. But this is exactly what we are supposed to do! Why else would Satan work so hard trying to make us bottle it all up?
Luke 18:7 For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. (ESV)
Luke 12:3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. (ESV)
Psalm 44:21 Would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart. (ESV)
No sin you've ever committed is unique to you. Think about that. Every person on this earth deals with sin and it's consequences. There is no one exempt from it. There are millions of people who have had the same thoughts and made the same wrong decisions you have! Do NOT ever be convinced that you are alone in these things. We are all dealing with sin on earth. Let's help each other through it!
Today start to shed light in the dark areas of your life. Maybe start by saying a secret out loud to Jesus. Maybe share with a close friend something you've been struggling with. Watch how that step of faith lifts the burden of darkness from your heart. The more you share the things you fear judgement for, the more freedom and perspective of Jesus you gain! Jesus wants us to live like we are free from our sins because we are! It all starts by admitting it and taking the power of secrets and darkness away from Satan and giving it back to Jesus to heal.
And if someone admits something to you, DO NOT judge them. Hear them with an understanding and compassionate ear, and help them to turn the situation back to Jesus. Be a light in this dark world. It starts with you!
John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (ESV)1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (ESV)
John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (ESV)
Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. (ESV)
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