April 26, 2021
Working Out the Kinks
Gwen Smith
Today’s Truth
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9, ESV).
Friend to Friend
I became a watering girl that summer.
Not because my black thumb suddenly turned green, but because my husband had ordered a heap of mulch and I was determined to not have a lame bare patch in the landscaped section of the house. No sir-eee! Mulch should be the accessory, not the main feature. My opinion.
So, in response to the mulch mountain, I drove my spontaneous little self to the gardening store and bought us some new bushes, a few flowers, and a tree. And I quickly learned that once all of said planty-purchases were in the ground, they required… gasp… maintaining so they could take root.
Totally cool, I thought as I strapped on my big girl panties. I can do this!
So now I’m a watering girl. My sunny days often begin with the garden hose in hand. And I love it. The birds sing melodies in all their chirpy cuteness and the plants respond with claps of gratitude. (I seriously think they clap… in their own way. Moving on…)
Early one morning I unwound the hose and watered our small cucumber garden. Then I headed toward a few thirsty plant-friends in the back of the lawn along the fence. As I began to water, the flow trickled to a stop.
I looked up and spied the water-stopping nemesis. A kink in the hose.
So frustrating.
There was plenty of water. It just couldn’t flow because the hose had flipped and kinked. I tried to flap it out from where I was across the yard, but this kink was a good bit down the line. It required that I drop everything and address it. Once the kink was fixed, the water flowed smoothly, and the rest of my plants got their drinks.
What a picture of faith.
Just like a hose is connected to a water source, our souls are connected to the Living Water – Jesus. And though as believers we are always connected to Him and always have access to the refreshment and nourishment our souls need, there are times when kinks happen, and the flow stops.
I can think of a few times when, just like the hose, I flipped and kinked up the flow. Can you relate?
Our kinks come in all shapes and sizes. You and I get flipped over by disappointments, unmet expectations, other people, or simply by our own attitudes, unbelief, fears, behaviors, rebellion, or unhealthy emotions.
How can you work out the kinks of your circumstances and relationships? Depend on the strength of God instead of your own. Go to Him in prayer. Ask for grace. Align your life to the teachings of the Bible. Yielding to His Spirit.
The biggest of all kinks, however, is our own sin.
Pastor Timothy Keller said it this way; “The sin that is most destructive in your life right now is the one you are most defensive about.”
Ouch. Big kink. Right?
How can we work out the kinks of our sin? By confession. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8-10, ESV)
“Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.” (James 4:17)
Got a few sin kinks? Sure you do. We all do. Some might stem from blatant rebellion to God’s will, while others might be simply NOT doing something you know you ought to do. Regardless, if you and I want to have a right relationship with God, we must deal with sin honestly. Nothing can separate us from God’s love, but sin sure can stop the flow of us experiencing the power of His peace, grace, strength, and joy.
The Anglican theologian Richard Sibbes summed up the good news of Jesus beautifully when he said, “There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us.”
I. Am. So. Thankful.
What would it look like to let the grace of God work out your kinks today?
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, I'm so thankful that Your mercy is greater than my sin. Please forgive me for ____________ . You know my heart and You know my ways. Cover me fresh with grace today so I can experience Your joy, strength, and peace.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Time to be a woman of courage! Grab your journal and list a few of your known kinks.
Pray that the Lord would reveal some of your unknown kinks to you and ask that He would contend with you in those areas.
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© 2021 by Gwen Smith. All rights reserved.
Originally published Monday, 26 April 2021.
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