Processing the Fall: Confession Time

Image by Sergio Cerrato – Italia from Pixabay

In Scripture a fall usually refers to sin. It can also be expressed as stumbling or walking in darkness. It’s not an avenue we prefer to glance down, meditate on, or confess. However, Scripture reminds us that God will turn darkness to light before us. We don’t have to remain stuck walking aimlessly in the dark. (Isaiah 42:16)

Now for a confession: When it comes to my physical health, I’m far quicker to work out a plan, scheduling my fitness weekly to achieve my physical health goals. While I don’t always accomplish all of my daily goals, I believe that consistency is still the key to success. So I’ve become quicker to carry on and get back on track.

However, I was recently reminded that I haven’t been giving my spiritual health near the same attention it truly deserves. I can even prioritize my physical goals over my spiritual ones.

To be fair, I’m not a complete and utter lost cause. I do try to spend some time receiving God’s message, but I can find it difficult to stay focused, and even more challenging to put things into practice. God surely understands why better than I do. 🫤 Ever been down this road?

While some demands of my time (like college and a career change) have been necessary to reach needed milestones, eventually a slower pace gives way to more room for drawing near to God without nearly as many demands on our time. (Distractions can still be a problem.) This is a new season. Why then has it still been so difficult for me to draw close to God? Let’s Take a Closer Look 🔎

Is it the Sin that So Easily Entangles?

Have I failed to persevere, fixing my eyes on Jesus? Have I failed to endure during trials and struggles? Have I failed to set Jesus as the joy set before me. Likely yes, yes, yes, and yes.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Have I also Forgotten the Love I had in the Beginning?

But I have this against you: You have left the love you had in the beginning. So remember where you were before you fell. Change your hearts and do what you did at first. If you do not change, I will come to you and will take away your lampstand from its place. But there is something you do that is right: You hate what the Nicolaitans do, as much as I.

Revelation 2:4-6 (New Century Version)

The later verse was written as a warning to the church at Ephesus. However, we can still glean some personal insight from these words. The Ephesians began with passion. Somehow they lost their fire and stopped doing the things they did in the beginning. Nevertheless, they weren’t one-hundred percent wayward either, they still hated some actions as much as God did.

What Does God Have to Say About all of This?

Yet even now, declares the Lord, return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning. Rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and He relents from punishing.

Joel 2:12-13 (Modern English Version)

The Jesus way spells it out like this: through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we have forgiveness of our sins. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior the slate is washed clean of any wrong doings in our past. However, this doesn’t leave us free from the ability to fall into sin once again. In fact, Jesus put it this way.

“Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean.”

John 13:10

What this means is that we still need to maintain our spiritual health after being washed clean. We need to wash our feet (or rather the area of our lives that has gone sideways). We do this through repentance, or in simplest terms– by rejecting the path we’ve been on–to move in a direction closer to God. The trajectory should be aimed towards what God desires of us. We reject our own ways to follow in His way.

The really great news is that God will meet us half way. Though it’s not always easy to change trajectory, we can take hold of God’s loving, helping hand.

Come close to God and He will come close to you. [Recognize that you are] sinners, get your soiled hands clean; [realize that you have been disloyal] wavering individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts [of your spiritual adultery].

–James 4:8

Sobering words? Yes, but it’s the loving truth that sets us free. So never apologize for following Jesus and sharing the God’s honest truth. ❤️

God Bless, and thank you for reading.

–Tina ❤️