LITTLE ROCK — DEAR REV. GRAHAM: I was always taught that at the end ofeach day we ought to ask God to forgive us for any sins we’ve committed during that day. But sometimes I can’t think of anything I’ve done wrong or that I ought to confess.Am I overlooking something?
- E.Y.
DEAR E.Y.: What you were taught about asking God to forgive you at the end of each day is commendable and wise (and it’s a practice I’ve always tried to follow).
This a good habit because if we don’t stop to think about our sins, we’ll probably overlook them, and if we do that, we’ll keep on doing them. Just as our hands grow calloused and insensitive if we keep rubbing them against something hard, so our hearts can become calloused and hardened to our sins when we don’t face them and seek God’s forgiveness. And if we never ask for his forgiveness, we’ll also never ask him to help us overcome them.
But the main reason we need to deal with our sins as soon as possible is because sin cuts off fellowship with God. If we have given our lives to Jesus, we are still members of his family if we sin, but our fellowship with him is damaged, and we no longer are close to him.
What are you overlooking? You’re overlooking your sins, even if you aren’t aware of them. The Bible says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). We sin not only by what we do, but also by what we fail to do, including what goes on in our minds. Ask God to help you face your sins and then seek God’s forgiveness.
Write to Billy Graham in care of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C. 28201 or visit the website at billygraham.org
Weekend, Pages 32 on 10/25/2012