|
"In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." (Ephesians 4:26-27 NIV)
In 2023 wildfires burned out of control in parts of northern British Columbia, Canada. One such fire near the town of Fort Nelson, destroyed thousands of forested acres. As winter arrived the fires disappeared from view: they went underground. With the reappearance of Spring and frost-free ground however, the blazes surged to the surface and once again burn out of control.
This event reminds me of the fires which can burn deep within our hearts as well. Fires of anger, hatred, pain, jealousy and envy. Fires kindled in our lives by various events or people. Fires that, for whatever reason we buried, letting the sun go down upon them instead of dousing them through the power of God's wisdom, love, and forgiveness.
The problem with burying such fires however, is that we never know when they will make a resurgence within our lives and when they do, the secondary blaze is often worse than the original one for it has had time to fester and grow within our hearts. We have in fact given the devil time to stoke those fires as we have secretly mulled them over in our minds, allowing ourselves to become more and more indignant, bitter and set upon getting our own back.
These inner blazes are very dangerous, for they damage us spiritually and emotionally. Left unconfronted they become sin and sin separates us from God. Even as Christians who are forgiven their sin, past, present and future, buried sin still blocks a believer's full relationship with their Heavenly Father. Sin blocks the Holy Spirit from moving freely within our lives, the abundant life that Christ wants us to experience is diminished bit by bit as our underground fire continues to smolder and burn.
King David was well aware of the dangers and pitfalls of buried sin when he penned these words:
"When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord—and you forgave the guilt of my sin." (Psalm 32:3-5 NIV)
Do you have wrongful fires burning within your heart today? Things you have sought to bury rather than confessing them for what they are, sin. If so, take heed from the Psalmist. Confess them to the Lord, allow Him to help you douse them with His love and forgiveness, once and for all.
Prayer: Lord God, search me and know me. If there be any sinful fire buried within my heart, draw it forth that we might deal with it forever, together. In Christ's name. Amen.
Lynne Phipps
Tawatinaw, Alberta, Canada
|
