Hidden

Hidden

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults.

A FEW YEARS AGO, we celebrated my husband’s fortieth birthday. Our ten-year anniversary was just two weeks later, so we decided to combine the occasions by taking a trip to the warm shores of Riviera Maya, Mexico. The resort was ideal: a not-very-busy beach and pool, several great dining options, free spa services that only required a generous tip, and pristine accommodations.

The only problem we ran into was that the electricity would turn off at random times. Sometimes it would be off for just a few minutes, while other times the outage would last hours. One random shutoff turned dinner into a candlelit affair, which felt like a fun adventure. But another time it went off in the midst of a massage, and the sudden silence and lack of air conditioning made the remainder of the experience awkward and stiflingly hot. Though the staff remained optimistic and helpful, the sudden outages were disorienting.

If our understanding of the resort had only been through the lens of what was visible—a shining new lobby, well-appointed rooms, shimmering pools—we would have assumed it was perfect. The power outages didn’t lessen our overall enjoyment, but they did spark a question: What else was lurking under the “perfect” surface?

The analogy can offer insight into our own lives. Often, it’s not the obvious, outside sins that are most insidious, but the hidden ones—ones we may have a hard time fully recognizing—that trip us up the most. Our internal biases and judgments, our pride, our envy, our habits—those hidden parts of ourselves can easily be glossed over or camouflaged by a smile or politeness.

When the light disappeared at the resort, its absence revealed the flaws. Similarly, when we choose to allow the hidden parts of ourselves to remain in darkness, we often miss the very sins that entangle us. But when we actively seek the hidden parts of our hearts and choose to shed light on those dark places, the Word of God illuminates every corner of our lives, bringing life and light to those things that would remain hidden.

Lord, help us to seek the life-giving light of your truth. Reveal the parts of ourselves that we’ve hidden, even from ourselves. Amen.

-Kristin

One Good Step: Prayerfully consider whether there’s an area of sin in your life that you’ve ignored or kept hidden. If something comes to mind, ask God to forgive you and help you to bring it out into the light.