Dealing With Secret Sins

It might sound old-fashioned, but I love keeping house. I call it “nesting.” I can spend hours tinkering in different rooms, arranging and rearranging. The world is tough, and I want to create an inviting place for John and me to come home to. Our house isn’t fancy, but it’s filled with things we love, and it reflects who we are.

While I’m no domestic goddess, I consider myself to be a decent housekeeper. If you were to drop by our house unannounced, there is a good chance you would find things in reasonable order.

But on occasion, my perceptions of my housekeeping skills are shattered. In fact, it happened just last week. I was looking for something in the entertainment center, and as I pulled out a stack of books, I came upon a back corner of dust that must have been an inch thick. Embarrassed by the lengthy oversight, I immediately cleaned it up. But as I dusted, the spiritual metaphor wasn’t lost on me.

Those of us who have been Christians for a long time can put up a good front. From all external appearances, we might look like we have it all together and “the house is clean.” An onlooker wouldn’t notice any grievous sins we’ve left unchecked. But in reality, we have all inner cracks and crevices that no one sees but God and us. Most of us have places where the dust is an inch deep.

These places might include coveted sins that no one knows about or blatant sin we refuse to address.

Perhaps more than anyone else in Scripture, King David learned the consequences of sins that aren’t quickly addressed. In Psalm 51 we find him in severe distress over a grievous sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11). The fallout was catastrophic.

After a lengthy season of rebellion and denial, David finally confessed his sin in a gut-wrenching prayer. David made multiple requests in Psalm 51 but let’s focus on two petitions where he asks God to intervene:

• “Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:6-7

• “Create in me a clean heart; O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

David understood he needed to confess his sin, but he also realized his heart was the source of his trouble and he needed God’s help to change (Jeremiah 24:7, Ezekiel 11:19).

And so it is with us. We all sin in ways we would be horrified for others to know about, but we need God’s help to change. As believers on this side of the cross, we can confidentially confess our sins knowing God will not only forgive us but He will also purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t leave us on our own to deal with sin. Yes, He forgives us, and thank God for that. But the good news of the gospel includes the magnificent truth that He also cleans us up. But we need to ask Him.

Proverbs 28:13 says, “Whoever conceals his transgression will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find mercy.”

With that in mind, let’s ask Jesus to help us clean house, shall we?