Is It Time To Have A Conversation With God?
After giving in to temptation, how would you fill in the blanks of this sentence: “The reason I chose to (name the behavior) is because I (state your reason)”?
Would your story change depending on to whom you were justifying your actions? How would you rationalize your behavior if you were talking to your spouse? Or your child? . . . Or the mirror?
Would you choose your words differently if you were having this conversation with God?
Yikes.
It’s hard to tell God, in all honesty, the reason we gave in to temptation. When we choose (once again) that sin or bad habit over Him, our excuses simply can’t hold up. Just picturing this conversation with our heavenly Father gives us a clearer perspective about our choices, doesn’t it?
Unless we’ve allowed our conscience to be seared (the result of continually sinning to the point that our conscience no longer warns us), we feel guilty and ashamed when we try to minimize or lie about our actions to the people who love us.
Unfortunately, this same guilt and shame often keeps us from going to the One Who can give us the grace to see our choices differently. Honestly.
Yet, the idea of having this conversation with God can still intimidate us. No wonder. A healthy, reverent fear of God is a good thing. We never want to romanticize God as being a that’s-okay-and-now-let’s-hug kind of God. We dare never to minimize His holiness.
Almighty God is magnificently loving and full of compassion and mercy. But He’s also undeniably holy and demands respect for His Word. Because of His nature, our heavenly Father hates anything that threatens to harm us, including our own destructive choices.
Considering all this, would Psalm 51:10 (ESV) be a good prayer for you?
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Let’s ask God to give us a greater appreciation for His love and a healthier respect for His Word. Let’s invite Him to renew a right spirit within us, especially if we’re already developing a seared conscience. And most importantly, let’s give Him permission to reveal the lies we tell ourselves when we justify our actions.
If it’s time for you to have an honest conversation with God, please do so soon.
After you’ve had that conversation, consider having another one (or two) with some of the people who love you.
What do you think?
I’d love to hear your thoughts about this post. (Others might also benefit from your comment.)
- Is it time for you to have that conversation with God?
- What keeps you from doing so?
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Another great post! We’ll done
I so appreciate your kind encouragement, Delores. AND thank you so much for sharing this devotion on your Facebook page.
Good word! Thank you Sheryl!
Thank you, Barbara! I always love hearing from you.
Sheryl, thank you for yet another exceptionally strong blog message in which you suggest: “Let’s ask God to give us a greater appreciation for His love and a healthier respect for His Word. Let’s invite Him to renew a right spirit within us, especially if we’re already developing a seared conscience. And most importantly, let’s give Him permission to reveal the lies we tell ourselves when we justify our actions.” Whew! May we keep our conversations with God frequent and lean into Him for his forever love and forgiveness. Amen! ❤ (Honored to share on our A Women’s Fellowship/Ministry community page outreach and on my Timeline.]
Amen!! Indeed, may we have these conversations with God often!! Thank you, Joyce, for yet another great comment. AND thank you for honoring me by sharing my devotion on A Women’s Fellowship/Ministry community page outreach, as well as on your Facebook page. It means so much to me.
This article is great, point on. If we are looking to correct others then we learned Christ with the wrong motive; we are the sinners that need to be saved daily even though we strive for completion, we are not completed until we are emptied of self.
Hello, Rhonda. Welcome to Today Can Be Different!
I agree: we will never be complete until we’ve emptied ourselves of everything that is not of God.
Thank you for stopping by, Rhonda. Please do so often!
Thanks again Sheryl, all of your devotions are outstanding. I look forward to your next post.
Thank you SO much, Dave. I appreciate your very kind words.
And thank you for stopping by again!!
Sheryl, thank you so much for this article. It has really spoken to my heart. I appreciate how God us using you to remind us of to stop and talk to God about these things.
Thank you, Gina. It always encourages me to hear how God uses my devotions.
Please pray for me as I continue to write!
Sheryl thank you for always pointing us back to our Heavenly Father! The Lord has given you a gift to encourage us in whatever season of life we are in right now. You always point me to the word of God and His great love for me!
Thank you !
Hi, Sharon. Welcome to Today Can Be Different!
Your comment encourages me so much. I appreciate the way the Holy Spirit works. Truth be told, God uses my writing to encourage me in my seasons of life! 🙂
Thank you again for stopping by, Sharon. You’re always welcome here.