Text: Acts 3:19-21, Romans 2:3-4, Lamentations 1:16, 2 Corinthians 7:5-12
Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord…
– Acts 3:19-20a, ESV
“It is not repentance that saves me;
repentance is the sign that I realize what God has done in Christ Jesus.”
– Oswald Chambers
I’m an avoider. I avoid uncomfortable topics and decisions. I avoid unfortunate feelings and situations. I avoid watching the news when I can get away with it, and I’ve been known to avoid eye contact with the homeless vendor selling newspapers on the corner.
I avoid grief and suffering because I don’t want to experience grief and I don’t want to experience suffering. I can’t solve them, can’t explain them away—I can only enter in, and most times I’d rather not. The only way to get to the other side of these unavoidable mountains is to walk through them—over, under, and around are not options.
I avoid acknowledging my sin for the same reason. It’s uncomfortable, it’s painful, it’s something I can’t solve or explain away. I fall deathly short, just like we all do (Romans 3:23, 6:23). The darkness I am capable of is shocking to the senses. Who wants to admit such a thing? Like it’s the nightly news, I look away and wait for it to disappear. If I don’t see it, it must not exist.
You and I might be tempted to skip over this next book of the Bible we’ll read together for these same reasons. Some of the language in Lamentations is uncomfortable, the images are upsetting—it puts a magnifying glass up to a reality we’d rather ignore. Written in response to the capture and destruction of Jerusalem, the book of Lamentations is exactly what its name implies—it is a book of 5 poems, or songs, of lament. It is a book dedicated to mourning, weeping, and crying out to God. Some historians believe it may have even been used for worship within the actual ruins of the destroyed temple.
Originally named for the Hebrew word for “Alas!” or “How?”, Lamentations reads like an unedited exercise in how many ways a person can describe destruction, devastation, and despair. But the writer’s words don’t just apply to Jerusalem—they are a picture of our life without Christ. No comforter, no hope, no life—only death. Lamentations provides a revolting visual of the destruction our sin brings.
Acknowledging sin and its consequences is a difficult, achy, and emotionally invasive procedure. But a beautiful thing happens when we take that hard road through the mountain: we do not travel alone. Jesus is with us as God’s Word convicts our hearts. Jesus is with us as the Holy Spirit reveals our desperate need. Jesus is with us as our knees buckle at the devastation around us and the devastation within us. He is by our side to administer the salve of grace the moment each sin-wound is revealed.
Somewhere in the thick of this ongoing heart surgery we begin to understand: only in seeing the depth of our sin can we see the unmatched grace and glory of the Cross.
Think back to that image of God’s people standing among the temple ruins, singing out painful poems of lament. The holy city—their lives, their families, their futures—destroyed. Imagine them there in the wreckage, crying out to God asking all the appropriate questions. Why, Lord? Where are you, Lord? How long, O Lord? The first two chapters build like a musical crescendo, leading up to the climax placed purposefully, meaningfully in the center chapter of the book:
But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
– Lamentations 3:21-24, ESV
Standing there in the rubble, they worshiped. They repented. They claimed what they knew to be true — God is faithful, even here and even now.
You and I stand in the midst of wreckage today—broken churches, broken families, broken bodies, broken hopes. The consequences of sin are ugly and painful, and it hurts to look full at the darkness. We grieve our sinful state with honest questions and hot tears and loud lamenting—but this is the kind of godly grief that causes the apostle Paul to rejoice! Not because grief is painless or petty—it is anything but—but because godly grief leads to repentance (2 Cor. 7:9-10).
Friends, we venture into the coming two weeks ready but not ready to face the sin in and among us. We take a somber step forward knowing only a bit of what is to come. But we walk ahead nonetheless because our Savior goes with us. Let us look on our sin, and let us look long at the Cross of Christ. Look to the One who does not avoid our suffering but enters in, who does not despise our brokenness but redeems it.
May our tears of grief lead us to repentance, and may we receive refreshment for our souls. Amen.
I love Gods kindness…how he draws us to confess to him because He is so kind. He disciplines us like a child and reminds us of who we are and who He is. We don’t have to fear bringing things to Him because He is our Father.
I SO needed to hear this. Recognizing our sin is truly the only way it can be put behind us.
I have never been brought to my knees so much as this Lenten season. I am so grateful. I'm open. I'm in. Deep. I love You Lord.
This avoidness of all negative things is something I do. Everyone in my life knows I do not watch the news regularly, do not watch horror movies, and can’t even talk/listen about scary things because I’m a scaredy cat! I’ll literally have night mares over someone saying the smallest frightening thing. I seriously dislike halloween. I just think scary stuff is from the devil. Now, I know the news isn’t (well sometimes it might be) but just can’t stand all the frightening junk of this world! Everything this blog said is how I feel but didn’t realize I do this with my sin also until right now. My sin disgusts me. I hate it but I have to face it head on and lay my selfish pride down because my heart is full of sin- whether seen in my actions or words or just in my heart. I’m such a sinner and I hate it and will continue to make war against my sin because I know it is what put my Jesus on the cross. But thank you Jesus for saving me! That is not just good news but AMAZING news! He took my sin, my rebellion, and exchanged it for his righteousness on the cross. Forever thankful! Psalm 29:2
Y’all. I don’t even know what my sins are. It’s stinking frustrating. I don’t feel moved by the cross or convicted over sin- and I desire both, badly. I am a committed follower of Jesus and have been for almost 7 years…am I the only one who has encountered this problem?
I understand, it’s good to pray psalm 139, if you’re in the word and seeking him in prayer he will begin to reveal you heart. Be consistent and persistent and by no means give up! He’s with you and loves you.
Thank you, Kayla! Good reminders.
I understand too! Sometimes when I do something wrong & I know it’s wrong, but I don’t necessarily “feel” the guilt. I think it’s more important to acknowledge sin as sin and repent and turn away from that sin rather than feeling a “feeling”. Look in the Bible for what sin is :) 10 ccommandments of course & when we are not loving (1 cor 13) & when we practice deeds of the flesh vs fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:19-26)…. just a general idea :) The Bible is full of guidance as nd direction! :)
I totally know this feeling. I started praying a few months ago that God would reveal my sin to me… It’s a scary process. He is so faithful to change us, but it’s not easy. The process has led me to needing to confess and apologize to many people for things I hadn’t even remembered. But change is happening, and that gives me hope.
For years I was sure I believed but didn’t act that way nor explored getting to know our saviour. I knew when I was unkind but I just got over it. Through dark times my sin was revealed to me and the conviction in my heart was massive – this I’m so grateful for… I look now and can’t believe my ignorance to what a bad heart I had. Selfishness, Gossip, Criticism of others, being self centered, not helping when I knew I could. It was insane how inward I was thinking only of myself … It helps me to think like this. If Jesus treated me the way I treat others.. If Jesus acted the way I did…. Then none of us would have salvation. NOW THAT IS SCARY! Praise God that we have Jesus. Spend a week writing down moments of yours that were not loving or Jesus like – pray over them and ask The Holy Spirit to dwell in your heart and open your eyes to your dishonouring ways … Be patient but give this worry of not seeing your sin to God. … He will sort it out xx
This is so true. I avoid my sin. I avoid the hard times. I avoid anything that’s painful. But thank goodness God doesn’t avoid me!
I’m a missionary and feel the overwhelming pressure to pretend to ‘have it all together’ but who really does?!
Thankful God calls me into the secret place and lovingly exposes the sin in my life. I can sit it tears and heart ache over my sin knowing that God does not identify me with that but with His son!
What a great God we serve! I cannot tell you how blessed I’ve been through these studies! thank you SRT family! xo
tomorrow I am burying my father. this message fills me with hope.
So sorry to hear that Sarah. praying for you and your family at this time xo
I’m sorry Sarah…what an awful ache.
Sarah, I did this a month ago….and while the heartache is still there, God has been so faithful. There are good moments and hard moments, but He has never left me. Losing a Dad is so so hard, but God is still our Father. I’m so sorry for your loss. Feel every moment, now matter how it feels.
May God wrap His arms around you and hold you up today, Sarah.