Is your Plate Clean?

Oh, how many of us remember those famous words told to us by our moms when we were old enough to feed ourselves, “make a happy plate”, “make sure you clean your plate off or no desert”, “you are not getting up from this table until you eat everything on your plate”, “there are children starving all over the world that would love to have this food”, etc., etc.. etc.

I think it is safe to say that most of the parents that have made such statements were not trying to bring harm to their children. In fact, they were trying to make sure their children were properly fed and nourished, knowing the importance of fueling the body for growth, health, and activity.

Can I ask you something? Is your plate clean? I am not talking about food now. I am stepping into spiritual matters. So many times, in the counseling ministry, I see people bogged down with unconfessed sin on their plate. We all sin. Truthfully, unless we are fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit throughout the day, we have no clue how much sin we engage in. It could be as simple as an unkind word towards someone, refusing to extend a hand where we can, having a critical spirit, gossip, etc., and/or sin as blatant as gluttony (which I suspect we all have engaged in since Covid-19), fits of anger, jealously, strife, etc., etc. You get the point…we all sin! While we are no longer a Sinner, Big “S” as a believer, we are a Saint that sins Little “s”, until our eternal exit and/or His return. God did not intend for us to carry around guilt, shame, and/or the need to hide, fear, or blame others for our sin as believers. His word tells us in …

1 John 1:8-9 (ESV) “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

When is the last time you, as a believer, bowed the head, the knee, laid out flat before Him, and confessed your sin? I make it a daily practice to ask God to forgive me for my sin, hopefully the minute I recognize it. I also do my best to ask others for forgiveness when it involves others. But, for good measure it is one of the first things I do when I lay my head on my pillow at night. I ask His forgiveness for sins unknown that I may have committed during the day. I also ask Him to reveal sins to me that I am unaware of. That forgiveness from Him makes for a “Clean Plate” and starts my next day off anew!

The enemy loves plates that are full, that have not been emptied. He loves the guilt, shame, fear, and behaviors of hiding and fear to pile up on your plate! Disarm HIM!!!!! Clean your plate! 1 John 1:8-9! It is a plate cleaner! (smile)

His,
Vickie