Day 27

Every so often a super religious person shows up in my office and we have an awkward conversation. It usually involves sexual sin. Don’t get me wrong – plenty of people show up to talk about sexual sin of all stages of belief and unbelief. But it is my observation that the super religious types, the ones with job titles like “minister of this” or “pastor of that” do something that the less religiously steeped among us do; they have a tendency to rush headlong into a discussion on forgiveness. I prefer how the 12-steps make us go slow and think long and hard about our sins, defects of character, fear, anger, resentment, and sexual inventory before we talk about amends and forgiveness. I think these steps more accurately reflect the nature of repentance than all this rush to forgiveness.

 

³⁸ But you, God, have rejected and despised him.
You’ve become infuriated with your anointed one.
³⁹     You’ve canceled the covenant with your servant.
You’ve thrown his crown in the dirt.
⁴⁰     You’ve broken through all his walls.
You’ve made his strongholds a pile of ruins.
⁴¹ All those who pass by plunder him.
He’s nothing but a joke to his neighbors.
⁴² You lifted high his foes’ strong hand.
You gave all his enemies reason to celebrate.
⁴³ Yes, you dulled the edge of his sword
and didn’t support him in battle.
⁴⁴     You’ve put an end to his splendor.
You’ve thrown his throne to the ground.
⁴⁵     You’ve shortened the prime of his life.
You’ve wrapped him up in shame. Selah Psalm 89:38-45 CEB

 

Wow. Sounds like God didn’t rush to forgive sin without taking the time to teach the terrible consequences of sin… Are there any areas in your life that you need to slow down and pause to prepare over before rushing to the assurance of forgiveness?