|
April 12, 2023
Responsibility
Beloved one, the second step to getting free after you recognize the problem is taking responsibility. You must stop blaming others. Once you have agreed with the thoughts you recognized you are now participating in sin. It doesn’t matter if someone defiled you, whether it was your sin, or whether you inherited it. You have become one with it and it is now yours. Take responsibility for it and deal with it. King David was a man after God’s own heart, yet he entered a bad situation and got a woman pregnant while she was married to someone else. Then he arranged to have her husband killed, yet God still called him a man after His own heart. There is hope for you and me.
The first thing David did with the prophet Nathan confronted him about this transgression and sin was to go directly to God in prayer. He admitted his guilt and recognized his sin. David cried out, against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. (Psalms 51:4) When you sin as a believer you are participating in sin, but you can be cleansed and sanctified. It’s guilt that tells us there is double jeopardy and that we are always going to pay for past sins.
You do not have to live in the past, stuck in sin. Repent and forgive, get cleaned up, and get on with your life just like David did. You may need to forgive yourself so you can move forward. To recognize the difference between clean and unclean is to recognize. David said, ‘I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. (Psalms 51:3-4)
King David recognized his sin once he was confronted with what he had done. He had not been honest, so God sent a prophet to make him honest. The Spirit of God was there to convict him, but David had a choice just as we have a choice. The Bible says, ‘David was perfect in all his ways ‘except’ in the matter of Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband. (1 Kings 15:5) Nowhere does it say Bathsheba was the problem. King David had something that did not belong to him (Bathsheba) and then he tried to cover it up. Once it was brought to light, David first had to recognize his sin and then take responsibility with God for what he had done. Take responsibility, and do not try to get out of it.
The difference between King David and King Saul is amazing, David went directly to God in his sin and made peace with God. Saul, when confronted with his sin by Samuel the prophet said to him, pray to your God for me. Saul pleaded again, “I know I have sinned. But please, at least honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel by coming back with me so that I may worship the Lord your God.” (1 Samuel 15:30) Each person must go to God for themselves; I can’t go to God for you. The first thing you must do is take responsibility for your transgression with God. You must go to God for yourself. No one can go there for you.
From glory to glory we are being changed into the image of Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 3:18) It’s not to God’s glory when you have uncontrolled anger or rage. The Bible says, ‘Don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry.’ (Ephesians 4:26) Don’t let anger stay in your heart past sundown. Why? Because anger will become ingrained in your nature and spirit by morning. God wants you to deal with things daily. Recognize your issue today and take responsibility for it today. For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2, Matthew 6:34)
|
