Awareness Part I: Unloading our "Junk"

If we want to begin the process of allowing the Holy Spirit to give us the power to overcome our sins, struggles, addictions, depression, low self-esteem, trauma, abuse history, wounds, bad habits and unhealthy obsessions, we need to first stop running from (or denying) those parts of us that make us feel ashamed, guilty, disgusted, weak, sick, ugly, dirty, less than, embarrassed, depressed, and afraid. We must stop running from the parts of ourselves that we have tried to block out, deny, “stuff,” and hide from ourselves, from other people and from God.

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on 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

When we try to hide our struggles from God (and from other Christians who genuinely care for us), we prevent the power of God’s Holy Spirit from empowering and healing us from the inside out. When we maintain the fake and unbiblical outward appearance that we are “strong,” “good,” and “struggle-free,” all the issues that we have hidden inside of us don’t get better – they get worse. The pain and hurt from the wounds and conflicts that we keep “secret” become stronger, fester, hurt other people around us, and require greater and greater expenditures of time and energy to keep hidden!  

We will discuss this topic further in the days to come, but for now we begin the process of healing by starting to unload all the “junk” that we have locked up inside. We lay our burdens down at the Cross without fear or hesitation because we believe in a God who loves us unconditionally. We can finally stop running from who we are, what we’ve done, and what’s been done to us.

For this week, make a list of three issues, wounds, experiences or sins that you have denied, “stuffed,” blocked out or hidden in some way from yourself, God and others. For the next seven days, allot a portion of your daily prayer to talk to God about the items on your list.

Start letting God in today.