If we are so forgiven, why do we let guilt and shame grip us? Why do we shy away from telling our story of God's grace covering our sin? Even when the sin is no longer occurring, we've asked forgiveness from God and those directly affected by our sin and we have repented of our sin...and yet we stop there. We never share it. It's our dirty little secret. I don't want to live a secret life. I want to be an open book... and OPEN witness to His love and forgiveness. If I've been forgiven then sin has no grip on me... so if I hang on to guilt and shame, what happened to the forgiveness?
I believe that if we aren't willing to be an open book, that Satan has a grip on us still. If we keep secrets about how we have been forgiven, where is our witness??
How can we proclaim to the world that we serve a forgiving God, and never tell them about the forgiveness He gave for our sins?
So here are my thoughts...
If you are no longer walking in that sin, and God has freed you, forgiven you; you have repented and are seeking to live God's way in that area... DON'T keep it to yourself! Share it with those who may need to hear your story, to help them in their walk with God, or to help them understand that Christians aren't perfect, we're just forgiven.
If you are still walking in a particular sin, don't keep that a secret either! First acknowledge the sin for what it is... SIN. Break off your relationship with Satan, and do a 180 and RUN into the arms of Christ. RUN. FLEE. and don't look back. Find someone to talk to about it. Someone to pray with you. Someone to be accountable to. A bible breathing Christian. Ya know... one that is a living breathing example of what is found in God's word.
Now don't get me wrong, I don't mean that you have to stand in the town square and shout out that you were a porn addict, alcoholic, narcissist, that you slept with five people out of wedlock, lied, cheated, were addicted to technology, ran a red light, chopped down your neighbors tree because you were angry... Though if you feel the Holy Spirit leading you to proclaim it in the streets by all means, DO... I mean that you should not intentionally skirt around/avoid opportunities to share your witness of God's mercy and forgiveness in your life. Heck, seek out those who may need to hear your witness.
If you struggled with alcohol as a teen, talk to teens about it so that maybe you can keep your brother or sister from falling into the same trap Satan has set. If you struggled with porn, find an opportunity to share with your bible study. Share the feelings and the consequences. Help them to flee from the situations rather than wait for them to fall prey.
Too often, I think Christians are afraid to share their story and miss opportunities to encourage godly behavior in others.
James 5:20 NKJV
19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
Proverbs 28:13 NKJV
13 He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
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