February 12
Shed the dead weight
Let us shed all weight and the sin that beset us, and patiently run the race that lies ahead.
Hebrews 12: 1
Every time we make excuses for our sin, we are blaming God. Adam did so when God asked him about eating the forbidden fruit. He replied, “The woman whom you gave me as a companion gave me from the tree, and I did eat” (Gen. 3:12). Adam did not accept responsibility for his sin, but instead blamed God, who had given him Eve.
Sin is never God’s fault, nor is it the fault of a person or circumstance that God brought into our life. Excusing sin puts God into question for something that is only our fault. If you decide to punish us, it is because we deserve it.
That is why confession of sin is essential for spiritual growth. When you accept the reality of your sin and confess it, you have less dead weight to drag you down in the growth process. As today’s verse indicates, your growth will increase when you shed the sin of sin through confession.