Are You Rearranging the Darkness?
“Spring ahead, fall back.”
Repeating this phrase is the only way I can remember which way to change the clocks each spring and fall.
This year, Daylight Saving Time (DST) began on March 13 and will end on November 6, 2022. In a few days we’ll set our clocks back one hour. The original intent was to conserve energy by extending daylight hours.
But someone once described DST as being the equivalent of cutting a foot off the top of a blanket, sewing it to the bottom of the same blanket, and thinking the result is a longer blanket.
Sometimes I wonder if all we’re doing is rearranging the darkness.
Then again, rearranging the darkness is not restricted to Daylight Saving Time. How often do we do something similar in our spiritual lives by rearranging the darkness of sin instead of dealing with it? We:
- rename it —> “It’s not sin, it’s just a bad habit.”
- move it —> “I’ll hide it so no one will notice.”
- justify it —> “If you only knew how much she hurt me, you’d understand my anger.”
- ignore it —> “Sin? What sin? You’re just being judgmental (or legalistic).”
But rearranging the darkness in our lives is not the answer. Instead:
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Acknowledge the sin:
The apostle John reminds us, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us . . . If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us” (1 John 1: 8, 10).
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Agree with God about our sin:
John goes on to say in verse 9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Confessing sin means that we agree with what God says about it. We stop justifying it and call it what God calls it.
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Accept God’s cleansing:
Remember the end of 1 John 1:9? God not only forgives our sin, He also cleanses us from our unrighteousness!
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Adjust course by changing direction:
It’s not enough to call the attitude or behavior sin if we’re not willing to put it away from us. Repentance is literally the act of changing direction regarding that sin. “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19).
We can continue rearranging the darkness of sin in our life or we can confront it according the God’s Word. Let’s use the occasion of turning our clocks back this weekend as a reminder that not only do we need more sunlight, we also need to live in the light of the Son!
Great message, Ava. We need to speak truth to ourselves. Thanks and God bless!
What a wise post, Ava! Jesus is the only solution to our needs for HE NEVER CHANGES! He is always the same. He does what He does in line with His eternal purposes. We must trust Him in this. He’s not like the clock that we can’t trust now for we’re not sure we reset it. He, instead, is eternally unchangeable! Thanks be to God!
Such great insight, Ava. Your title really intrigued me. Your message here is excellent. Why do we think we can rearrange the darkness and that makes sin ok?
We do need to acknowledge ALL our sins even the little ones we think no one’s sees. Great message Ava. Thanks
You are 100% right! As you say, repentance is “literally the act of changing direction regarding that sin.” We are to turn our lives around when we are forgiven and strive to live in holiness as best as we can. Thank you for the excellent reminder.
A great message. 🙂