The End of the Matter

. . . and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. – 2 Chronicles 7:14

Doing the four steps of 2 Chronicles 7:14 has been about a 40-day process for me.  I honestly can’t believe that I’m writing this final WMD on the subject, at least for now.  Even though I feel like I’ve really gone in depth with it, I know I’ve only scratched the surface.  

Before I move on, I want you to think about the word “wicked.”  To me, it has meant “unholy,” “vile,” or even “malicious.”  When I looked it up in Hebrew, there was one adjective that I never thought of, “malignant.”  I hope your mind is going where mine is, there is something living in me, a spiritual cancer that is malignant, and it needs to be dealt with.  When you start the journey by humbling yourself, you will have no clue about what is malignant in your soul, at least I didn’t.  

Between a conversation with a friend and a Charles Stanley sermon, I learned that I needed to counsel myself and forgive myself.  At first, I thought it was simple, but Charles instructed his people to set up two seats and put the person who has hurt you most in the other seat.  I can’t really explain how it all ultimately worked, but I sat down in the first seat, immediately got up and sat in the other.  I could see my “old” self from a second ago.  He represented 34 years of spiritual life, from 16 years old all the way to 50.  As I talked to him, I watched him ask for the forgiveness of so many sins, yet he would carefully place them on a pile behind him.  That pile reminded me of a huge pile of gravel that had been dumped, but I knew each rock had been placed one by one.  

I thought of the consequences of allowing this pile.  First, it has been heavy . . . I’ve been carrying a lot of weight around that Jesus commanded me to give to Him.  Second, it has motivated me to still, after all these years, earn my salvation . . . the one thing God will not allow anyone to do.  I have set some sort of standard of behavior for myself to live up to that will cover that big pile of rocks.  When I fell short, I’d ask for forgiveness, but then I’d toss another rock on the pile. Thirty-four years’ worth of rocks!

I have to say, I felt sorry for my old self sitting there.  I did the only thing I knew to do . . . I forgave him.  I also asked God to remove the pile and never let me start another one. 

I can’t tell you how freeing it was and is.  Man made, religious additions to the word of God are absolute spirit killers.  They are malignant tumors dwelling in your soul.  I hope and pray that you will take time to go through this process.  It isn’t easy, but it is worth it.

Lord, thank You for opening my eyes to sins that I didn’t even know I was doing.  Help us to redefine wickedness for our spiritual lives.  It is anything, and I mean anything keeping us from the fullness of a relationship with You.  Help me to walk in the newfound forgiveness that I’ve found, or that You have wrought in me.  Do for Christians all over this country what You have done for me.  Then, hear from heaven, forgive our sin, and heal our land.  Amen.