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D-7829
The Bible gives us instruction to purge our conscience and keep it clear before God and man. From our listener’s letter, we learn a few important things she did which will also help us in clearing our own conscience. First, she prayed about the situation. Prayer then prompted her to write to me, which I’m sure was the Holy Spirit’s way of making her take that first step toward resolving it. She knew what I would tell her, but hearing it from me helped her get going. Indeed we do need each other for accountability and encouragement in situations like this.
Then she had Scripture that she kept reading and praying. Have you learned to pray the Scriptures? Many passages are wonderful prayers for us. She mentioned Psalm 121 which reminds us that the Lord will take care of us. She also referenced Psalm 51:4 which says “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.” This is part of David’s confession to God for his great sin, and this was the verse God used in her life to convict her and cause her to take the necessary steps to clear her conscience.
The steps of restitution were not as difficult as she thought they would be. I think Satan keeps us tied up in knots, afraid to make restitution—ashamed, embarrassed or fearful—when actually the restitution is the easy part once we do it. The result is the wonderful freedom of a clear conscience toward God and man.
God was able to use her apologies as a testimony to the difference that Jesus makes in our lives! He turned her ashes into beauty, and used that failure for his own purposes and glory.
I encourage you to clear out your conscience today. Until you do, that clogged conscience will rob you of peace, of God’s power, and of that marvelous freedom we have when our conscience is clear!