Soul Sludge - Turning Point devotion

My transgression is sealed up in a bag.Job 14:17

Last Christmas, a pristine corner of the unspoiled Eastern Tennessee mountains was marred by America's largest industrial toxic spill, caused by the failure of a containment dike at a TVA fossil plant. Residents of the town of Kingston found themselves facing 1.1 billion gallons of contaminated sludge, and the clean-up costs are expected to reach a billion dollars.

If Job were still around, he might use that as an illustration of the toxic guilt that often contaminates our hearts. In Job 14, he compared his sins to foul substances that God has sealed in the airtight containers of His mercy for permanent disposal.

If we have feelings of guilt over unresolved sin, we need to acknowledge our failures before God and pray as Jesus taught us: "Forgive us our trespasses." But when feelings of guilt are satanic tricks to shame us over sins already forgiven, we need to remember Job's words: "My transgression is sealed up in a bag."

It cost God a great deal—the shed blood of His son—to clean up the toxic spill of sin. It's never helpful to reopen the containers.

When we confess our sins, God casts them into the deepest ocean…. Then God places a sign out there that says "No fishing Allowed! Corrie ten Boom

How often we open up the bags and the let the stink back into our lives.