When’s the last time you got real with God?

I was talking to Him today and I said, you know what, I’m sorry my prayer life has been lacking (and by this I mean like my prayer closet time with Him). I said, you know, I could sit here and name all kinds of excuses as to why I haven’t been able to, but that’s not really fair or true. I just haven’t been doing it, and I’m sorry.

It was almost immediately that I felt His approval! How many times do we just wish our coworker or spouse or kids or family members or friends would just own up to something they have done and just SAY I’m sorry for something they constantly make excuses for…and then let their actions speak for them that they truly are sorry because from that moment they made it a point not to do whatever that was again? Wouldn’t it be that the one who made us in His image could feel the same way? I mean, don’t get me wrong in this, I’m not saying God gets tired of us, because I can count numerous times I knew excuses were on their way and chose to continue to love people through it, and I can count even MORE times I’ve been the one handing out excuses and people loved me through it…. but do we ever reach a point of maturity that we realize that saying… you know what… I failed, I’m sorry I failed, now can my actions show you how I truly feel? Taking ownership of our wrong doings can be difficult sometimes because it requires a deep look into ourselves that we have a tendency to push to the side… often. But if we do as Jesus instructs us to do and first take the plank out of our own eye then help someone else remove the spec of wood from their eye we would be living a daily life more like Christ. Meaning self help/healing is a necassary part of our daily walk with God.

I love how this is brought out in 1 John, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
1 John 1:8‭-‬10 NIV” Basically the author of 1 John is saying it’s important to own up to our downfalls and confess them. By giving constant excuses it’s as of we are avoiding the fact that we sin or have done wrong. Later in the chapter the Author says “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
1 John 3:18 NIV.

PRAYER:

God, we are so thankful for who you are and that you love us the way you do. I ask that you soften our hearts daily God. Allow us to know the importance of just admitting when we’ve done wrong and then live our lives out in truth and action according to your living word. I pray that you strengthen each person reading this in such a way that they know their strength only comes from you. In your precious son’s name we pray, amen.