I was only a few houses away when it started to really come down. I must admit, I kind of liked it -- being out in the rain while it was pouring. At least until my sneakers got soaked. Then it wasn't so fun. LOL.
Okay, so maybe you don't have an area of weakness. Another common ailment is the accumulation of numerous little sins -- Itsy, bitsy, mini sins that you think don't really matter. Guess what? It's still sin and over time, all those itsy, bitsy sins build up. They create a sludge that clogs our lives so that the Holy Spirit can't move!
Later in the day, my air conditioning tripped. It's been doing that a lot lately,
so I went out to the garage and changed the filter. While I was up on the ladder doing that, I noticed a checklist that I had taped by the unit, a long time ago.
It was to remind me what to do if I had problems with my air conditioning.
CHECKLIST:
#1 says "Change the filter."
#2 "Add bleach and hot water to the pipe coming out of the unit."
(I had forgotten about that one).
And #3... "Call the Repair man."
As I poured in the bleach and the hot water, my eyes caught a glimpse of the RED flip flops I was wearing. Here I was cleaning the pipes in my A/C unit... That's not all that different from what I've been talking about these last few days in The Red Shoe Project. Is it?
Sometimes I think of my life as a big pipe or vessel available for the Holy Spirit to flow through. Things like Unforgiveness (Day 231) and Sin (Today's Blog Topic) can create a build-up that hinders that flow.
Part 3:
#3 Hinrance to
Hearing God's Voice:
Sin
So let me say right up front that these hindrances we've been talking about, are merely a check list for consideration, when one finds it difficult to Hear from God. I know, for me, it helps me direct my attention to what's causing the problem so that I can take care of the matter and get things flowing as they should.
I'm sure it doesn't surprise any of us that SIN is a common hindrance in Hearing God's Voice. On the other hand, SIN happens, and if it's not nipped in the bud, it can create HUGE problems! The easiest way to take care of it is to avoid it totally! Most of us do that, no problem... well, except for THAT sin. You know... that one area of difficulty, that you just can't get a handle on. If it weren't for THAT, you'd have this thing nailed down pat. But even when you do get a handle on it, the devil will come back again and again to test you, try you, tempt you... just to see if you really have the victory over it.
Okay, so maybe you don't have an area of weakness. Another common ailment is the accumulation of numerous little sins -- Itsy, bitsy, mini sins that you think don't really matter. Guess what? It's still sin and over time, all those itsy, bitsy sins build up. They create a sludge that clogs our lives so that the Holy Spirit can't move!
Okay... so I don't want this to be a message on perfection, because not one of us will ever be perfect, and God knows that. Like my air conditioning unit, things are going to pop up from time to time and with that in mind, I need to properly maintain my life so that it functions at its best! Neglecting the condition of my heart will only make matters worse. A continual daily practice of confessing my sins to God and asking forgiveness is a good plan to have in place. Even still, I must warn you...
When you get into the Presence of God,
The Light comes on!
"God is light, in Him
there is no darkness at all."
1 John 1:5b
God's not standing there, pointing His finger in your face, scolding you for your disobedience. He's not like that at all. He's just Light. He shines. And when you're around Him, anything that's in your life that doesn't belong, sticks out like a sore thumb --Not to everybody around you -- This is something that's just between You and God.
I've been there. He's so Holy, so Pure, so Loving, so Good, so Magnificent... no human being can compare. It becomes blatantly clear...
"Oh no... I'm a SINNER!"
My head goes down lest I make eye contact. My body follows, as I position myself properly before the Living God. I find myself crying out...
"Have mercy on me, Oh Lord!"
The Good News is that...
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just,
and will forgive us our sins and purify us from
all unrighteousness."
1 John 1:19
That's it? Yes! Just confess it and get it over with. Remember when we talked about how God wants a relationship with us? If you hang around with Him all the time -- like often... stuff melts away. The reasoning in your mind, as to why THAT sin is so important for you -- why you can't let go of it... The GLORY, in time, will simply melt that away. He will take away your wrongful desires. Does He do that in a one minute prayer? Sometimes. But basking in God's Glory continually, is like spiritual radiation treatments, (minus the negative side effects). It prevents bad things from coming back.
With that said, it's time for me to shut down and head off to bed. I'm thinking I may have a few confessions to make to God before turning out the lights.
In Red Shoes,
Gail
