Topic: You Can Talk to God [Joyce Meyer Devotional 11 April 2020]
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Topic: You Can Talk to God
I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not hide my wickedness; I said, “I will confess [all] my transgressions to the LORD”; and You forgave the guilt of my sin.— Psalm 32:5 (AMP)
Our souls can be wounded for many different reasons. Sometimes we’re wounded by things other people have done to us, other times the wounds come from our own bad choices. Even when we regret past sin or mistakes, the pain they caused will linger if we let it.
Some people who are strong, mature Christians and walk closely with God today haven’t always had an intimate relationship with Him. Some of them, like me, have abuse, betrayal, addictions, and other hurtful things in their background. They’re healed today because they refused to allow their past to determine their future. I want you to know that no matter what is in your past or how painful it’s been, healing is available for you and your future can be better than you ever imagined.
One of the most important steps you can take toward healing is to talk to God about what hurts you and confess to Him any sin you’ve committed. If there’s shame or guilt associated with what happened to you (as in the case of victims of abuse, or someone who made a very bad decision that affected others), you may wonder if God really wants to hear about it. I can assure you that He does! First of all, He already knows everything about the situation, and second, He understands that acknowledging our wrongdoing or pain helps cleanse it from our soul. There is no one better than God to talk to about the things that have hurt you. You can talk to Him about anything, and He will not judge you or be angry or frustrated with you. He loves you more than anyone on earth ever could, and He’s the only One who can heal your broken heart.
Many people in the Bible sinned and failed. Even some of those we think of as being closest to God made bad choices. Abraham got tired of waiting for God to give him a son through Sarah, so he turned to her handmaid instead (see Genesis 16:1–4). David lusted after Bathsheba and got her pregnant, then had her husband killed (see 2 Samuel 11:2–24). But both Abraham and David recovered and went on to do great things for God. James refers to Abraham as “a friend of God” (James 2:23), and the Bible calls David “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22).
One of the keys of David’s restoration and the great future he enjoyed after his moral failure was his willingness to repent and receive God’s forgiveness. He wrote that God desires “truth in [our] innermost being” (Psalm 51:6 AMP). I encourage you today to talk to God about the things that have hurt you or the ways you’ve failed in the past, and He will comfort you. You can be restored completely, and I encourage you to believe that with all your heart.
Prayer Starter: Lord, please show me what I need to talk to You about, and how I can begin to overcome the pain in my past. Thank You for comforting me, forgiving me, and giving me the strength to move forward. In Jesus’ Name, amen.