There are many things that can get in the way of our prayers being answered, and one of the most common among them is SIN. Even Christians who love the Lord need to be constantly on guard against letting our human nature get the best of us. Selfishness, pride, lust, envy, and anger are always looking for an opportunity to assert themselves into our thoughts and actions – and we will always do better when we just admit this ongoing struggle and that we are totally dependent on the Lord to overcome it. The problem is, we are really good at justifying our sins as “not that big of a deal” and will always look for someone that we think is much worse than ourselves to help us minimize any feelings of guilt or shame. “Yeah, I’m not perfect… but, at least I’ve never done what that person is doing!”
That kind of comparison with others will always keep us from the very thing that we need the most: God’s GRACE! The truth is, we can neither receive nor extend grace to others until we acknowledge how desperately WE need it. You see, God isn’t trying to make us feel bad about ourselves. He just wants us to be honest about our sin so that we can truly receive the “unmerited favor” (grace) that He is offering us through Jesus. Only when we stop playing the “comparison game” and confess our sin can we truly experience the gratitude and humility allows our hearts to respond to the needs around us by telling the Lord, “Here am I … send me!”
As you pray today, ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and expose any area of hidden sin or pride that may be keeping you from fully submitting your will to the Lord. You never need to be afraid of God’s will for your life. He always has your best interests at heart and there is nothing in life that’s more fulfilling that being a part of God’s purpose in the lives of others.
May the Grace of God be with you
