Psalm 19:12-14
How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep me from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
This is my prayer. This has been my prayer for many years now, and God is still showing me what secret sins are still lurking in my heart, so that I can attack them to eradicate them from my life. And I pray that He continue to do this.
I have also sought His strength when confronted with deliberate sinful choices, to decide to do what is right instead of what is easy or convenient. But I need to be mindful at the moment to seek His strength, and not to just "go with the flow." I'm still working on this!
When David talks about deliberate sins controlling him, he's referring to what we call addiction today. Anyone who finds themself caught in this trap, I suggest Celebrate Recovery, a Christian 12-step program that is based on the Beatitudes and uses the the steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. Everyone is welcome and can be helped, no matter what the issue is that they are wrestling with, not just alcohol.
When we do these things, then we will be free of feeling guilty, and we won't be as vulnerable to "great sin," using the power of the Holy Spirit living in us to reject it and turn to what is right, instead.
Then our words and our very thoughts will be pleasing to God, and we will be enabled to be Jesus' hands and feet, and His voice in teaching others of God's good ways.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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