The entire month of February there was this tiny little tuft of feathers on my kitchen window from where a bird accidentally flew into the window.
It was right where I looked out the window as I stood at the kitchen sink.
It was right in my line of sight, every single time I looked out the window.
When I would come into the kitchen first thing in the morning … there was the tiny tuft of bird feathers staring at me on the window. “I need to clean that off,” I would think, “but now is not a good time. I’m right in the middle of fixing breakfast.”
So I would forget about it.
Until lunchtime rolled around … and there was the tiny little tuft of feathers staring at me, front and center. “I need to clean that off,” I would think. But I had just washed my hands and it would be a hassle to stop everything and go outside to deal with it.
So I would forget about it.
Until dinnertime came … and there was that tiny little tuft of feathers … staring right at me.
I’m so busy right now. I need to prepare dinner. I don’t have time to deal with it.
Would you believe this tiny tuft of feathers remained on the window for a full month. (it’s no longer there now … I finally went out and knocked it off)
Sin is a lot like this.
There is a sin in our lives which needs to be dealt with. The Holy Spirit brings this sin to our mind.
But it doesn’t seem like much … it’s such a tiny little sin. Why bother with the hassle of dealing with it.
So we ignore it. And forget about it.
But the Holy Spirit won’t let us rest. The Holy Spirit keeps bringing that particular sin front and center to our mind. Just like the little tuft of feathers was right in my line of sight!
But we’re so busy living life. We’re busy doing “good” things. We’re busy “serving God.” It would be a hassle to stop everything we are doing and confess that sin to God and deal with it.
So we ignore it. And forget about it.
But the Holy Spirit keeps on … and keeps on … and keeps on convicting us of our sin.
In the morning, when we start out day … the Holy Spirit brings this sin to mind and convicts us that we need to repent of that sin and confess it.
In the middle of the day … in the middle of all the many things we are busy doing … the Holy Spirit brings this sin to mind and convicts us that we need to repent of that sin and confess it.
In the evening … when we least expect it … the Holy Spirit tugs at our heart and prompts us that we need to repent of this sin and confess it.
It seems like such a hassle to deal with sin in our life. No one knows about the sin. It doesn’t seem like much of a big deal.
But God knows! God sees! And if that sin is not dealt with … it will ultimately result in a severed relationship with Him.
“I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love;
according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”
– Psalm 51:3, 1-2
