The Upper Room Daily Devotion – Monday, 27 January 2014 - “Four
Steps to Joy” Read 1 John 1: 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he who is
faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and
his word is not in us.
The Lord . . . is patient with you, not wanting any to perish,
but all to come to repentance.--2 Peter 3:9 (NRSV)
I am an old man, soon to be 87. I’ve been a baptized Christian
for over 60 years. In my daily devotions, I ask God to help me grow in my
relationship with Christ. There are four steps I take to grow in my faith:
awareness, confession, repentance, and acceptance of forgiveness. Following
these actions has brought me joy. First, I became aware of a mental and
emotional sin I had lived with so long that it no longer stood out in my
spiritual inventory. I was somewhat shocked that I hadn’t dealt with it sooner.
But after mulling over this troubling situation, I realized that I must confess
it to God — which I did. After I had confessed it to God in prayer, I realized
that I had to reject this old mental and emotional sin. So I repented, resolved
to turn around 180 degrees in my mental and emotional behavior. Then I asked
God to help me keep true to my new commitment. Even though I believed that God
had forgiven me, I had to accept that forgiveness as an expression of God’s
love and grace. Slowly letting go of the past, I was filled with joy. Thank
God!--The Author-Fred Cloud (Tennessee, USA)
Thought for the Day: When we confess and repent, God is eager to
forgive our sins.
Prayer: Open our eyes, O God, to any persistent sin of which we
are not aware. Help us to confess that sin, repent, and accept your
forgiveness. Amen.
Prayer focus: Someone struggling to accept forgiveness
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