What's Hiding in There?

The Lovely Joanne and I just purchased a carpet cleaning machine to restore our old carpets a little. We vacuum regularly, with a good vacuum cleaner, so even with the cats, the carpets should be pretty clean. So we thought. You should have seen the amount of dirt and gunk that came out with the cleaner! (Or maybe not...) I expected some, but not that much!

The same can be true in my spiritual life, and yours too. We tend to know some of our more flagrant weaknesses and sins, but can be blind to what is obvious to someone else. David wrote "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me" (Psa. 51:3). He also wrote "Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me!" (Psa. 19:12-13).

Let's understand: God has loved and accepted us through Jesus Christ our Savior, even if we never get rid of all these sins and weaknesses. Let's also understand, it is the Holy Spirit's mission and joy to help us come closer to the image of Jesus Christ: "So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image." (2 Cor 3:18). Not that this is a matter of what we call 'sin management,' trying to eliminate a sin so we can have 'more righteousness.' No, the truth is that as the Holy Spirit leads us, we follow Jesus, and are formed into the image of Jesus (who himself is the image of the Father, Col. 1:15). Thus, our lives will be filled with what God is: Love, and good works toward all.

Would following the Holy Spirit in order to follow Jesus more closely, leave less room for 'hidden sins'? We would certainly hope so. Certainly, it's worth seeking the help of God the Spirit, as David wrote in Psa. 19, which I quoted above. Times of meditation with scripture, and humble prayer for correction will help us be able to see what the Lord has for us. Those disciplines will also help us be ready to accept the truth, when a faithful friend points out something less-than-Jesus in our attitudes, words and actions (Prov. 27:6).

Like a carpet cleaner, the Holy Spirit is good at making hidden gunk visible. Can we become more and more willing to let go of it?