I wouldn’t have experienced this if I had not sinned. Let me begin there.
God had shared with me, as I know He shares with you, that He loved me too much to let me stay in sin. I would either overcome it on my own, or He would help me.
2 Thessalonians 3:10-15
1 Peter 2:1-2
1 Peter 2:11-12
2 Peter 2:8-9
Galatians 6:1
I had fallen in a sin.
I had confessed the sin to my leader as an accountability.
He shared my confession with our peers.
One of those peers came to me to warn me that he had done so and to never confess to him again.
I was betrayed, embarrassed and devastated.
I was also, free.
I never fell in that sin again.
Still, I see these verses and am reminded we, as believers, have a responsibility to BE godly, to never get tired of doing good.
Then, we have a responsibility to warn others as if they were brothers and sisters AND to gently and humbly help them back to the right path.
Lord willing, it only comes from my own experiences that I have such a desire to see a brother or sister who has fallen be restored instead of ridiculed; be reconciled instead of rejected.
When that leader shared my sin, it was real brothers and sisters who came to me and were sorry for his behavior.
For his sake, his leader asked me to let him confront it and I never knew the outcome.
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33
Through it all, I overcame an ugly sin, learned quickly who my real brothers and sisters were, and, learned the right way to confront and challenge a sinning brother or sister to get back on the right path.
‘Take heart’ Jesus said.
Whatever happens, keep your heart. Keep it childlike.
“But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes me very happy. I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong.” – Romans 16:19
“No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” – Hebrews 12:11
