JULY 22, 2015
An Exchange
Read:
Psalm
32
I
said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt
of my sin. — Psalm 32:5
Jen
sat on her patio pondering a scary question: Should she write a book? She had
enjoyed writing a blog and speaking in public but felt God might want her to do
more. “I asked God if He wanted me to do this,” she said. She talked with Him
and asked for His leading.
She
began to wonder if God wanted her to write about her husband’s pornography
addiction and how God was working in his life and their marriage. But then she
thought that it might publicly disrespect him. So she prayed, “What if we wrote
it together?” and she asked her husband Craig. He agreed.
While
he didn’t say what sin he committed, King David engaged in a public
conversation about his struggles. He even put them into song. “When I kept
silent, my bones wasted away,” he wrote (Ps. 32:3 niv). So he said, “I will
confess my transgressions to the Lord” (v. 5). Not everyone should go public
with their private battles. But when David confessed his sin, he found peace
and healing that inspired him to worship God.
Craig
and Jen say that the process of writing their deeply personal story has brought
them closer than ever. How like God, who loves to exchange our guilt, shame,
and isolation for His forgiveness, courage, and community!
Do
you need to make an exchange with God of guilt for forgiveness? He is
listening.
God
forgives those who confess their guilt.
INSIGHT:
Like many psalms, Psalm 32 was written after
a time of struggle and hardship. That is why it begins with such a wonderful
and comforting affirmation: “Blessed is the one . . .” (vv. 1-2 niv). But we
must not overlook the path David took to be able to make that statement. David
had gone through anxiety and depression while hiding his sin. The blessing came
only when he acknowledged and confessed it to the Lord (v. 5).
Source: Our Daily Bread 2015
