Hiding in His Forgiveness

What to do When...You have to Speak Up

Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.  2 Samuel 12:13

This verse is about forgiveness; about God's unconditional love for us, and the abundant grace He extends every day. Initially it is about God's forgiveness of King David, but ultimately it is about the forgiveness we all receive when we admit our wrong doing and repent - turn away from that sin.

King David's sin is an example of how we all fall short, but also of how we all can obtain God's mercy, no matter how grievous the sin. We must learn not to drown in guilt after failing to live into the righteousness of God. When we are confronted by a fellow Christian and recognize our failings, guilt need not overtake us nor take over our lives forever.

As a child, when we did something we knew we would be punished for, it was tempting to run away, to hide and pretend. But as adults we know we cannot hide and there isn't a place far enough away to run. That is good news, for God is near to us at all times and we only have to admit our failures and receive peace.

 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. (Psalm 32:7)

Then we too can celebrate as David did when we wrote Psalm 32 to express the joy he felt after he was forgiven. Read Psalm 32 here.

Happy are the Forgiven

Psalm 32:1-2

Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.  

There is freedom in forgiveness. Once the load which weighs heavy on guilt-ridden shoulders is lifted, a fresh new life is waiting to be lived. There is nothing as encumbering as a guilty conscience. The feelings of shame and the fear of being found out, can overpower common sense. Our deep-seated secrets make us sick.

The conscience that has been cleared changes our outlook. Getting up out of bed each morning is a joy when we can face a new day with a clean heart. Is something weighing you down? Do you have regrets that seem too much to make right. Just turn to God and ask for His forgiveness first. Then wait for Him to guide you toward your next step. It won't be near as difficult as we have made it in our own minds.

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me: my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. (Psalm 32:3)

A guilty conscience affects our sleep; our health. Who can rest when there is fear of discovery looming in the background? Is it time to speak up; to go to someone and confess or at least talk. We are not guaranteed tomorrow - so to wait is not wise.  How many times have we hesitated but once we acted it was easy? Let us not waste a moment.  Then we can "rejoice in the LORD and be glad..."

Psalm 32

Prayer is Whispering -

Psalm 31:2 (NIV)
 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.

I know of a kindergarten teacher who learned the way to communicate best with her young students was to speak very softly.  She learned when the children are loud and excited about something they were doing; it was difficult to get their attention.  She found herself raising her voice to be heard and discovered that only added to the volume in her classroom.  So, she tried speaking softly, all the time.  When she would greet them in the morning and instruct them throughout the day, she used an 'inside' voice.  It didn't take long before the decibels in the room lowered considerably.

This change helped to provide order and calm to every day.  By decreasing the noise, the desire to listen increased.  Maybe you can relate to this practice.  There was a time when I thought the only way to get noticed was by being bold or loud.  But sometimes the best way to be heard is to be silent.  Being still quiets the heart.  Speaking softly or whispering gives the impression you have something important to say.

I think that is why I love writing down my prayers. This practice helps me feel secure and even calm and peace filled.  There are times when I need to shout out to God, when I fear He doesn't hear me, but more often I am released from fear when I quietly talk to God, write down my petitions.  It is then I feel heard.  

God hears us at any sound level.  "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD." (Psalm 31:24)  God responds to our shouts of grief and agony and pain.  He also responds to those unspoken prayers.  The words we say only in our hearts during those times when words fail us or we are choked by emotion.

Psalm 31 and 32 and 33.

The Story - Chapter 12 - Psalm 32

There are times I just want to run away and hide.  There are seasons that are so painful for one reason or another that I would rather not show my face in public.  It is times like these that I need to find a place to go, a place where I can feel safe and where I have time to process life without outside noise.  Does this ever happen to you?

Psalm 32:7 (NIV)
“You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”

David’s words cause me to realize he is looking for God’s forgiveness.  I feel humbled by the behavior of this man and convicted to follow his example.  I remember a time when I was young, overhearing my father tell my mother that it would be a cold day that he would ever apologize to his children.  It was most likely following a time he jumped to the wrong conclusion and punished one or more of us unjustly.

I learned that it was shameful to tell someone I was sorry for my actions.  I went through most of my childhood and early adult days with this attitude.  It wasn’t until I began a personal relationship with Jesus that this all changed.  When I began to read the Bible I learned from the Book of Psalms, just how freeing and energizing it is to make amends for wrong doing.  It also helped me not to make some of the same mistakes over and over again because to do so would mean I would have to humble myself yet again and admit my shortcomings.

Psalm 32:11 (NIV)
^“Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!”

Read Psalm 32 here

Listen to Psalm 32 here