Something bothers me…I don’t like getting called out for doing things wrong. I’m just really not comfortable with it. I think I should never do things wrong. I should never get punished and I should never need mercy. What I should need is congratulations for doing such a good job at life!
I know you’re thinking that sounds like I have a very serious case of self-inflation. You would be right. The only way I know how to deal with that is to confess my sin when the Holy Spirit brings it to mind and make no attempt to try to cover it up or deny its existence.
I’m not getting anywhere by doing that. Confrontation is my only hope. And confrontation is not a miserable, penalty-inflicting thing because Christ already confronted the ultimate misery of my sin. He took away the penalty and bestowed on me His victory over it. But I can only live as though this is real when I live my life in the manner Christ has set out for me. I do not pretend sin is not a reality for me because this would be a denial of what Christ has done for me. If sin is not a reality for me than it should not have been a reality for Christ and His sacrifice must mean nothing.
But I choose, instead, to face my sin in all its ugliness because recognizing it does not change my position with Christ. My own righteousness need no longer be upheld–indeed, it can not be upheld–since Christ’s righteous alone makes me acceptable before God. I abandon all hopes of building my self-esteem on the merits of self; I build it on He who created me and chose to show His esteem for His child at Calvary.
At Home with God 