Facing the Reality of Sin

After listening to this sermon, I feel like God gave me a HUGE reality check in allowing me to recognize the different scenarios in which I mourn and do not mourn; the scenarios in which I’m in sync with the gospel and not in sync with the gospel. 

DJ explains that when we grieve, we are forced to face the reality of sin. As I thought more about that, I realized that the times I grieve are usually the moments when I notice the sin in other people. For example, when DJ mentioned the topic of prostitution and exploitation of women and children, I immediately got triggered and actually started crying as I felt like my heart got stabbed. Doing many months of research on human trafficking for my senior project has allowed me to understand the depths of sin found within this disgusting industry- for both the traffickers and the victims. I recognize that “it doesn’t have to be this way” and the only way these people will find comfort, freedom, and healing is in Christ alone. In the midst of my sorrow when seeing the brokenness of this world, I find a sense of peace knowing that Jesus has already carried the weight of the pain and burden they are all facing. 

On the flip side, when I am dealing with my own sin, it seems as if I don’t always grieve. Instead, I become frustrated and angry because I tend to try to control everything on my own rather than accepting the freedom Jesus so graciously gifted to me. I interpret this as a personal lack in comfort to opening my heart to Him but I pray that I feel the extent of what Jesus feels when he sees my sin. I don’t want to be limited from growing closer to God or seeing eye to eye with Jesus, but I think grief vs. anger can be used as a good measure to see where my heart is at. Loved getting reminded that there is so much freedom in mourning because grief does not kill and is simply the result of the gospel holding onto us. 

Break my heart for what breaks yours, Jesus!