FROM CANDACE: This weekend, I spoke about staying awake, spiritually speaking. We are children of the light, and children of the day, 1 Thessalonians 5 tells us, and so we need to remain “awake and clearheaded”. We put ourselves to sleep, spiritually, by allowing the shadows the law and shadows of the world to creep in, little by little, and we excuse these things away little by little.
Radical honesty with myself is something I’ve been practicing for a while now, but I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about it.
RADICAL HONESTY IS NOT:
an excuse to say everything that comes to your mind. We are called to be patient, kind, and humble with everyone. We’re called to make allowances for each other’s faults. We’re called to encourage each other and lift each other UP!
a license to let your mouth rule you. The Bible says plenty of things about a fool’s mouth and how it constantly gets him/her into trouble. Read Proverbs 18:6-7, or Proverbs 20:19, or Ephesians 4:29. We’re called to “be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry,” James 1:19 tells us.
RADICAL HONESTY IS:
holding yourself to a standard. The standard does not change with every circumstance. No excuses!
asking yourself WHY you behave the way you do. And don’t let yourself get away with the first response. Old ways won’t open new doors.
confessing your sin. Not to everyone, but to the right people. Jesus said, “Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” Matthew 7:7. At the very least, admit them to yourself, and to God. We tend to stress REPENTANCE, not just confession, but confession can be a powerful step toward repentance.
Some of us will never move forward spiritually before we’ve broken secrecy with ourselves. You have to acknowledge there is a problem, before being able to fix it. THE WORD is a lamp unto your feet, a light on your path (Psalm 119:105). Allow it to change you from the inside out by acknowledging your faults, allowing the Holy Spirit in to help you uncover the real reasons for them, and moving past them into freedom!
Secrecy doesn’t work anyway.
There’s mercy in confession.
Read Acts 4:32-5:11
What’s your main takeaway from this story?
What can we learn about the spirit of religion vs. the spirit of authenticity in this story?
Does this story speak to “secrecy doesn’t work anyway” or “there’s mercy in confession”?
Read Psalm 66:16-20
What’s your main takeaway from these verses?
What do you think it means to “fear God”?
Does this story speak to “secrecy doesn’t work anyway” or “there’s mercy in confession”?
Find one more story in the Bible that either speaks to “secrecy doesn’t work anyway” OR “there’s mercy in confession”.