The Sin List

 

Our church began a study called Grace Is Greater by Kyle Idleman.  I started reading the book last week.  I connected right away with the introduction..."Grace is not a new word to us.  It's familiar- and that can be a problem.  When you're using a word that has been around a long time and has been talked about frequently, people tend to yawn.  The word grace is so common it doesn't feel very amazing."  Honestly, this is where I was coming into the study.  I thought, "This will be a study that some people will really need to hear." 

(Now, please don't misunderstand me.  I do not think and have NEVER thought that I am perfect.  I can readily admit that I'm a sinner and can even tell you some sins I struggle with.  But as Pastor Tony talked about yesterday morning, many times we are guilty of having the "halo effect".  We know that we are sinners, but we certainly don't need God's grace as much as "some people".  Thankfully, God got a hold of my heart!)

After reading the introduction of the book, I knew I needed to stop right there.  If I was going to get everything that I needed out of this study of God's grace, I knew that I needed to stop and do a hard reality check with myself.  If I was going to grow and learn and know more of God's grace for me, then I needed to be honest with the condition of myself.  I sat and wrote at the top of my paper "The Scope of Me".  Then I wrote categories: 

1. Continual sin struggles 

2.  Off-and-on struggles 

3.  Sins I've had victory in, but can still creep in at times.  

You guys, this was HARD.  I wanted to be so honest with myself.  I asked God to show me my sin.  I knew some things, but I wanted Him to reveal it all. 

I had to write ugly words on that page.  And the tears just flowed.  I wrote these hard words of sins of the heart.  I was embarrassed.  I was sorry.  I confessed.  I repented.  (If you are reading this and judging me in any way, go ahead and write JUDGMENTAL on your list. Haha.  For real tho.  Confess it and repent!)  

Then I was able to rejoice.  There are some sins that God has truly given me victory over!  Though they can creep in now and again, overall He has truly delivered me from some of these sins.  Praise the Lord for that!  And oh, I did!  All of a sudden, God's grace for me was very big and very important.  In enlightenment of my natural state, God's grace means everything!  Through all of my sin, He still loves me.  He still chose to die for me to make a way for me to go to heaven.  I miss the mark of a perfect, holy God!  But He made a way by sending His perfect Son, Jesus, to die for my sins.  I am undeserving, but He still wants me and desires ME.  

So I encourage my friends reading this....make a list of your sins.  Have a hard, honest look at yourself.  BE REAL.  You don't have to share your list with anyone else.  It's between you and the Lord, and He already knows anyway.  Your list might be shorter or longer than mine.  Your list may have actual criminal activity on it, or it may have sins of the heart like mine.  It really doesn't matter.  We all miss the mark.  And Jesus died for every sin on your list.  

Make your list, but don't stop there!  Confess, repent, and then walk in the freedom of God's grace.  Jesus died for you!  He loves you.  He wants an actual relationship with you.  He will take your list, mark a big X thru it, and write "forgiven" with His blood.  If anyone reading this has any questions about what I'm talking about, just message me!  I would love to talk with you about God's grace and salvation.

I am glad that I made that sin list.  Now I can be more aware of the sins that easily creep into my heart, and I can turn from them more quickly.  The more that I know the grace that God has given me, the more that I can extend that grace to others.  Now I am ready to continue on with this study of God's grace.  His grace is greater than my sin.  His grace is greater than the sin done to me.  His grace is greater than EVERYTHING.