In the Light

In the Light

Acts 16: ³⁵ When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” ³⁶ The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”

³⁷ But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”

³⁸ The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. ³⁹ They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. ⁴⁰ After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.

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“You won’t tell will you?’ I asked remorsefully. I had done something wrong and I did not want anyone to know I had made a mistake. I thought it would be easier to have the mistake hidden rather than facing up to the situation.

• There have been times when I wanted to cover up my mistakes.
• There have been times when I did not want to admit I did something wrong.
• There have been times when I tried to smooth over a situation with the “good” I was doing so the mistake could be overlooked.

The magistrates realized they had made a mistake and sent to have Paul and Silas released. But Paul and Silas saw through their sneaky attempt to conceal their mistake. To make matters worse, they mentioned their citizenship, implying the magistrates had overstepped their authority and could do it again to anyone.

• GOD wants me to act in the light.
• GOD wants me to take the sting out of the mistake by admitting it early.
• GOD wants me to tell people about my mistakes so they will not surface as a much larger problem.

Hidden sin is difficult to carry around. I mean, when I hide sin, then pretending nothing happened becomes more and more difficult. Eventually I look over my shoulder so much that I second guess if GOD loves me or not. BUT GOD wants something different.

GOD wants me to have confidence in my relationship with HIM. HE wants me to openly tell people about my sin so the sin becomes powerless. When someone says to me “You did this” or “You did that” I can say, “Yep, everyone knows I made that mistake.” I am grateful GOD gives me second and third and many other chances because HE gives me grace.

• Have you made a mistake?
• Do you feel like hiding your mistakes?
• Will you ask GOD for the strength to admit your mistakes?