But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.
1 Peter 4:15
Murderers, thieves and evildoers seems to be an understandable grouping, but why is the busybody thrown in with these other obviously terrible sins? The reason is simple, sin of any size disqualifies from heaven. Murder is a worse sin than gossip, but they are both sins, and the evildoer is worse than the busybody but, but both are sins and all sins require a blood covering and all sins are equally covered by the blood of Christ. Self inflicted wounds, and all other sins, by faith and trust in Christ as Savior and Lord are covered by His blood, including yours! Then why are there still consequences? How can I put the past in the past with constant reminders of what I have done or the pain of my actions invading each day? How do I Dance with the Scars when I go home to an empty house every day, or my kids won’t speak to me, or someone I hurt won’t let me show them I am a changed person. We have been dealing with the emotional and spiritual side of being freed from being a P.O.W. but what about the practical side?
As I mentioned there are memories that pop up in my mind at random times, they are not things the devil brings up when I am working through something God wants to change in me, or just when I am down or in a dry season, sometimes the devil throws my past in my face when things are going great. He loves to do this to me when I am driving to church to preach. This makes an important point for it identifies for us that Satan will use our past and forgiven sin as a weapon in spiritual warfare. But one thing I can say for sure, the devil has never been able to bring up my past when I was engaged in doing the work of the Lord. Preaching, praying with someone, counseling, witnessing, these are spiritual things that the past cannot penetrate with memories or feelings of shame and despair. Simply put; When battling the failures of the past do something for God in the immediate present. Go tell someone about Jesus, do something for a person in need and tell them about Jesus. Visit the sick and imprisoned, clothe the poor, do something that God has called all His children to do that requires his Divine power.
It may seem like the answer in each chapter is to serve God and that is because to a degree, it is! How I wish Christians would understand the power of serving God! How it glorifies Him and blesses you and the Devil cannot stop, hinder or impede the will of God. If you have a past that you would give anything to change like I do, you have two choices; spend the rest of your days wishing it would’ve never happened, or live the rest of your days thanking God that you’re completely forgiven. One definitely feels better than the other.
Excerpt from “Dancing With the Scars” now available on Amazon.
