Taking Sin out of the Shadows

Sometimes we speak with believers lost in their own sin. They often know it and feel helpless to change. It is not about convincing them their actions are wrong or that they need Jesus. They are filled with guilt and shame and often just need to be reminded of the power of God’s Word and what happens when we are honest with other believers and bring community into our struggles. 

It is rare when we hear back and get to see how one conversation can change lives. We thought you would enjoy seeing a recent example of God doing just that.

V was a woman stuck in a cycle of pornography. V admitted she was too ashamed to admit this struggle to her Christian friends. She was reminded of her identity in Christ and encouraged to be honest in order to find someone that could walk with her through change.  Several weeks later, V came back and shared the following:

I would like to express my gratitude to your organization. I was unwilling to open up with anyone I knew about my problem with porn. I talked to one of your volunteers and he made me feel comfortable through his kind words. 

Thanks to my conversation with him, I finally found the courage to open up to my closest Christian friend. It turned out that we had the same sin issue. She was also afraid to open up. She knew she needed help but was also too ashamed to ask for it. When I shared my struggle, and finally confessed my sin to her, she also found the courage to open up. 

I cried upon hearing her confession. We have known each other for a long time and serve together in our church. We had each just decided to isolate ourselves from the church and from Christian friends. There seemed to be no hope. We were so afraid and feared other people’s judgement. 

Now, we are free to not live in the dark. We check on each other. We are praying for each other. We understand that we are not beyond help and healing. I’ve finally learned the true importance of accountability and the power of community. Thank you!