Gluttony

“He who conceals his transgres¬sions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.” – Proverbs 28:13 (NASB)

The sin of Gluttony could be the sin of America. Not because we have so much, but because often so much of what we have has us! Instead of being free we are often slaves. Slaves to the smell of a fast meal, slaves to the payment on a new car, slaves to the latest tech gadget, in our freedom we are living like slaves.

Sure we are cool enough to handle all these demands, but too often the treadmill of “stuffing” ourselves with American life catches up to us. We can often feel trapped by what we thought we had trapped. When this occurs we tend to act out in our sin. A vicious cycle then ensues:

1. We continue to commit the sin.
2. We desire to stop committing the sin.
3. We feel like what we’ve done is unforgivable by God and/or people.
4. We hide our sin from others, spurning community and its healing accountability.
5. Repeat steps 1-4.

Sound familiar? Gluttony along with the rest of the deadly sins loves this process. Like a weed in the crack of a sidewalk it nestles in and grows out of whatever soil you will give it.
Often, we let our sinful behavior grow because we hope to avoid the consequences that we know we deserve. Or, we might be afraid to disappoint God, our friends, our family, and others. Even worse, sometimes we become content with our sin pat¬terns and reach a point in which we don’t desire change.

Proverbs 28:13 makes it clear—if we continue to hide our sins, we isolate ourselves and create a barrier between us and God. But, if we confess our sins, we receive mercy and healing. Mercy and healing are truly what we least expect when we confess. Yet, 1 John 1:9 promises us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us.

We expect to be hated. We expect others to look down at us and be disappointed. We expect that others will never trust us again. And this expectation can keep us covering our sins up until they explode. So, whether people respond with grace or contempt, God’s command is the same: confess. It’s the only way to re¬ceive the mercy and healing that we desperately need.

On the flip side, if someone confesses to us, we should prayerfully consider our response and choose to extend mercy, love, and accountability in a God-honoring way.

Father, help me to break this cycle of sin in my life. Help me be bold in confessing where I’m in need of mercy and healing. May I not hide my sins one more day. Please forgive me for my [gluttony, envy, etc…]. Thank you for your abundant grace in my life. And as I have received mercy help me display your mercy to others in their time of confession. In Jesus Name—Amen!