excuses, blaming or coming clean?…

one thing that happened when jacob wrestled with GOD was, GOD brings him face to face with who he is. 

remember, jacob said, “i’ve seen GOD face to face.”  and GOD asked him, “what’s your name?” and jacob had to say it.  jacob – what did “jacob” mean?  schemer.  and in one name, one word, he described his life. 

when you wrestle with GOD you get a new view of who you really are.  and sometimes it’s tough.  but it’s one of the keys of GOD allowing us to become all HE wants us to be.

so when jacob says, “my name is jacob” he is owning up to what he really is.  it’s an act of confession.  it’s a self-revelation.  he’s saying, “i am a manipulator.”  he’s admitting it. 

i wonder if you and i were named for our greatest character fault what would be our name?  “hi, i’m greedy…”  what would be your name?  bitter?  angry?  uncontrollable temper?  lustful?  a user?  “hi, i’m depressed…  i’m fearful … i’m afraid…  i’m gossip…”  what would be your name if you were named after your biggest character flaw?

here’s the insight into this.  you will never be able to change until you openly and honestly and authentically admit your sin, your weakness, your fault, your frailty, your character defect to yourself, to GOD and to other people.

you’re going, “oh, no!  i can deal with the me and GOD thing, but admit it to other people?  why?”  because the bible says, GOD opposes the proud.  if you’re prideful you are in a war with GOD because GOD opposes prideful, egotistical people.  but HE gives grace to the humble.

what is grace?  it’s the power to change.  and one of the most humbling things in the world to do is to go, “this is who i am.  i am a __________” you fill in the blank in your life right now in your mind.  “i am a worrier...  i am a domineering person....  i am a person who runs from conflict...  i am an addict...” admit it.  “i am a manipulator.”  fill in the blank.  stop making excuses if you want to change and stop rationalizing, stop justifying, stop blaming other people.  you’ve got to come clean about what everybody else sees in you but you won’t admit what you really are inside. 

when you come to GOD and say, “GOD, i want to own up to the weaknesses, the filth, the wrong in my life, the dishonesty, whatever it is,” and you come and tell GOD, “this is who i really am.”  GOD is not going to be surprised.  “how could I have missed that.  I made you.  I created you.  I’ve watched every moment of your life.  I watched you being born.  I’ve heard every breath you take.  how did I miss that one?  that was a surprise!  you pulled one over!  I’m really surprised.”  GOD already knows.  you just need to own up to yourself and to others.  this is the most difficult part of change. 

just a thought from the front porch…