Quote

More people would learn from their mistakes if they weren’t so busy denying them

Harold J. Smith

Real Life

Terry Crews played football on scholarship through college and then went on to play five years of NFL football. Later he built an acting career.

Recently, Crews has publicly acknowledged a decades long addiction he had to pornography. Despite being a committed Christian, Crews justified his secret for years.

The whole situation came to a head one night when Crews’ wife asked him once again what was going on. Finally, he told her the truth. He says that when he heard her gasp “it was the most pain-filled thing I’ve ever heard, because it was real now.”

Crews went on to ring his pastor and confess to him his addiction. He worked through counselling and a rehab programme. In time he was reconciled with his wife, when she saw the way he owned his weakness and acknowledged his wrong doing. Both Crews and his wife describe the marriage they have now as a miracle.

When we deny a problem in our life, nothing gets better, and often everything gets worse. It is only when we own the weakness, admit our sin and seek help to deal with it, that we can move forward. When Crews finally admitted his addiction to himself and others, it opened the way for forgiveness and healing. He was then able to move towards freedom and the restoration of his marriage, family, and well-being.

The bible says that if we deny our sin, the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). We cannot accept God forgiveness or help for a sin we pretend not to have. However, when we honestly acknowledge that sin/problem, we can receive God’s complete forgiveness and access His enabling to be free of it. It is a hard and painful experience to look our weaknesses and failings in the eye, but freedom can come from it.

Bible Verse

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:8-9

Prayer

Lord I am sorry for the times I deny areas of my life that I need Your help with. Please help me to be humble and courageous enough to be honest with myself and with You.

Author: Sarah Auld   |   Content Editor: Phil Pawley