Stepping Stones: What Do You Have To Renounce?

Transformational Tip

Wow, I’m so glad I got that off my chest…Talking about it doesn’t hurt as much as I thought it would…I feel better now that the cat’s out of the bag…I couldn’t keep that in any longer, one more minute and I was going to blow.

We hear statements like this a lot…I’ve even said it myself, and you probably have too(or at least thought these statements to your self). We periodically struggle with insecurity and inadequacy, so our natural tendency is to hide our faults. We keep our skeletons in the closet…fearing the opinions, judgment, ridicule, or rejection we fear would come if someone saw our inner activities broadcast on the big screen for others to see.

In the dark, away from God’s light, these wounds, faults, dysfunctions seem even scarier and more dangerous. Satan tricks us into thinking that isolating them will kill them, but what will transform them is the Light…Jesus, and all Jesus came to do for us and in us.

Are there any thoughts that you have that you do not want brought out into the light? Thoughts that your ‘sense of honor’, pride, shame, or guilt keep hidden away in secret places of your heart and mind? These shameful thoughts hidden in secret places directly and indirectly take their toll on our daily lives. The greatest penalty; these issues make it impossible to have clear lenses to see God through, and derail our pursuit of the Mind of Christ.

Today, examine your thoughts from God’s perspective and renounce the hidden things of shame in your life. Bring that trash up from the basement and throw it out once and for all. Let someone trusted know about your secret files. Ask their advice…ask them for Biblical backup for the advice…then do it. Click here to share with the Stepping Stones community about renouncing secret and shameful ways.

Prayer
Dear Father God – teach me how to pray. I confess Father that I am full of shameful and secret things…things I try to push down into my sub-consciousness. I know, Lord, that these things work hard at keeping my thoughts away from you, so I denounce these thoughts of envy, anger, lust, regret and any thoughts that I have kept in secret. Show me who I can trust to bring these issues into Your Light. I pray this in the name of the one who shines perfect light on all my shame and sin, Jesus Christ; And all the children of the world say - AMEN!

The Truth
Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
2 Corinthians 4:2
I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.
Romans 6:19