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For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. --Psalm 32:3-4 There are several different ways people try to deal with their sin on their own. Some people ignore it. Others try to change themselves and become “a better person.” And others think, “I’ll just destroy the record.” But the thing is, we can’t destroy the record of our sin on our own. We wish that we could just blot them out, forget about them, move on, and think positively. But that’s impossible because our record book is in God’s hands…and we can’t change it. No one knew this better than King David. After he fell into sin with Bathsheba, and he made her pregnant, David arranged the murder of Bathsheba’s husband to cover up what he had done. It was all a big cover-up! And David thought he could hide the record from God. But in the middle of his hiding and running from God, he was miserable. Thankfully, though, God began to deal with David and work to bring him to a place of repentance. And God will do that for every believer! Let me ask you a question today. Are you hiding a sin in your life from God? Are you running from Him? Whatever we cover, God uncovers. But whatever we uncover, God covers. When we get honest with God…when we’re willing to confess our sins and become clean before a holy God…then His love will cover our sin. If God has spoken to you heart today, I encourage you to stop right now and confess your sin to Him. You can know the joy of forgiveness today! Whatever sin we cover, God uncovers. But whatever sin we uncover, He covers.

A Proper Assessment

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”
Romans 12:3–5

The world around us is filled with voices that encourage us to put ourselves first. Advertising, entertainment, and even the news lift up those who promote themselves. In our day, it is common for people without any notable accomplishments to be famous for no other apparent reason than that they are famous. And this is held up as an achievement. The devil is delighted when we listen to any voice that promotes a message different than God does. Someone described the way the world’s advice conflicts with God’s commands this way:
Appetite says, “Be sensuous, enjoy yourself.”
Education says, “Be resourceful, expand yourself.”
Materialism says, “Be satisfied, please yourself.”
Psychology says, “Be confident, fulfill yourself.”
Humanism says, “Be capable, believe in yourself.”
Pride says, “Be superior, promote yourself.”
God says, “Be wise, humble yourself.”

The purpose of the Christian life is not self satisfaction. When we look around us and hold ourselves up as the standard of measurement, we are missing the point. Worse, we are falling into the trap of pride that inevitably leads to a downfall. Instead, we need to view ourselves the way God does—as valuable members of His work because of the gifts and abilities that He has given us. When we do that, we will not lift up ourselves, but instead will lift up the Lord. The view that we take of our role in God’s plan determines whether or not we will be found faithful and humble.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

When our focus is on God and His work rather than on ourselves, we will find it far easier to be humble.