Read John 3:19-21. Circle the words that stand out to you. What is the Lord saying you?
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
Digging Deeper
Hiding something? I don’t mean hiding Christmas gifts from your children or spouse. It’s hiding something that we don’t want others to know about or see what we are doing. It may be something on our iPhone or lab top. It’s peeking at those unsolicited emails. It may be something that happened to us in childhood. It may be that we lost our job or have some illness that we just don’t want to tell our family and friends. We all are hiding something from someone. It’s too messy to bring it up.
Jesus states that if one wants to break free from one’s bondage, one must step out of the shadows or darkness into the Light. A person may refuse to come to the Light for fear that one’s evil attitude or action may be exposed. Shame and guilt keeps that person in the dark. On the flip side, there are those who have been abused or violated person. That person lives in shame and fear of rejection if others knew what happened to him/her. Quite often, it is hidden. It’s a secret that is buried. Thus both live in the shadow of death.
Jesus invites us to come to Him with our hidden secrets. The first step is coming to God. If we have sinned, there must be true repentance and confession to God. If we have been injured by someone, bring our pain and sorrow to Jesus. You will find comfort and acceptance. The second step is admittance of the wrong or hurt. It’s not living in denial. It is making it right by confrontation or by intervention between both parties. The third step is forgiveness. It is either asking for forgiveness or granting forgiveness. Forgiveness does not deny the offense and effect. It’s setting that person free and oneself free.
Whether one chooses to keep that experience to oneself or to share that with closed confidant or friends that will be one’s decision. Hiding it from the Lord and refusing to deal with the offense or the hurt keeps a person living in the shadow of death and darkness. Seek help. Jesus wants to set you free, but one must come to the Light. Are you willing?
Kingston