I had a vivid, totally surreal dream the other night that I had gotten away with something dreadful. The dream started in the aftermath, when I was under suspicion, so I wasn’t sure that I had done what I was suspected of…until I got away with it.
And then I could feel the weight and I knew it would never go away. I awoke with my heart racing and could literally feel the weight on my body. I realized then that getting away with sin is worse than getting caught.
You know how feelings from dreams linger. As I lay in the emotional stew my brain had concocted I thought about the life-changing impact of unforgiven sin. How many people are walking through their days with unconfessed sin? An illicit affair? A financial cheat? A serious wrong done to another person?
I got out of bed and walked around hoping to shake it off. As I lay down again I thanked God that my shackles remained a dream (and I swore off Netflix true-life crime shows for awhile).
Then I felt newly aware of just how powerful a gift forgiveness is. Without Jesus there is no remedy for our sinfulness. And without a remedy we all would be crushed by our sin…every one of us.
- And you were dead in your trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1)
- For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23)
- A man who wanders from the way of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead. (Proverbs 21:6)
- But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives. (1 Timothy 5:6)
Now, remember that people who have not yet said yes to Jesus live under this oppression for their sinfulness, and for that reason alone we all should feel great urgency in sharing the good news.
While there often are worldly consequences to sinful actions, living in the light of truth is far better than living a lie.
Paul talks about this in Ephesians. In Chapter 4: 18-19 he writes, “They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due the hardening of their hearts.”
And again in Chapter 5: 8-11, he says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”
- Do you have unconfessed sin in your life? Pray for God to search your heart and expose unrepented sin that you may move closer to the light.
- With whom can you share the story of God’s grace and forgiveness in your life?
- Do you know someone living with a secret? Will you pray that they will be drawn to the light of Christ’s love and forgiveness? Will you extend Christ’s love to them while they are yet his enemy, as he did for you?
Faith Runner 
I know the crushing effect of unconfessed, unforgiven sin all too well. I have felt the anger, the guilt, the shame, the self-loathing and the embarrassment of carrying that burden which gets heavier and heavier as the years go by. I have experienced the intensity of the hatred one can direct at oneself that leads to the doorstep of self-destruction.
Accepting Christ, asking for – and receiving – forgiveness is such an incredible release from the weight of sin it is almost impossible to describe to someone who still chooses to reject the work of Christ on the Cross that is there to free us all from our own burden.
For sure, we don’t even know how heavy that load is (was) until Jesus takes it from us.
Thanks, Nanette, for this important reminder of the great responsibility we all have, as Christians, to try and help others free themselves from their own burdens by laying them at the foot of the Cross.
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Tony thanks for your always courageous honest and hopeful words. It is indeed a great and urgent responsibility we share in His name.
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