“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” — 1 John 1:8-9

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Matthew Stafford had a cannon arm in high school and was the most sought-after quarterback coming out of high school in Texas. He then excelled for three years at the University of Georgia, and was taken as the first overall draft pick by the Detroit Lions in 2009. He played well for 12 seasons even though the team didn’t win consistently, but in 2021 was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. The trade worked out well for both teams, as the Rams won the 2021-22 Super Bowl and both teams are championship contenders this year.

Now 37, Stafford might be having his best season yet. He used to throw a lot of interceptions, but has learned through the years when to throw softer or harder, and how to use different arm angles to keep the defense guessing. He’s constantly making adjustments to improve his game, even now as he deals with the effects of a fractured back from 2018 and a spinal cord contusion in 2022. As time passes, it’s tougher to stay healthy and keep improving.

Our spiritual wellness is similar to our physical health in some ways. We may think everything is good if we don’t check our blood pressure or do bloodwork and other tests to see what’s going on inside us. Though we probably don’t want to go for exams and tests, it’s necessary for better health and a long life.

We need to examine our spiritual health as well. God cares more about us than anybody else, and He reaches down from Heaven to help us deal with our sinful condition. He knows our inner sinful nature and wants us to make adjustments to live fully in Him. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24). Christ lived the perfect life we can’t possibly live, and died as our substitute to pay for our sins.

Even though every believer is forgiven through Christ’s sacrifice for us, the Lord still wants to keep a close and growing relationship with us. Our sin doesn’t stop God from loving us, but sin puts distance between us and God. The Bible is designed to operate like a microscope to show us the dirt we need to remove in order to draw nearer to God. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

We need God’s help to think correctly, speak with kindness, and be consistent in our behavior. If we don’t check in with God regularly, we may live like everything is good when it’s not. When David sinned, Nathan confronted him as God’s messenger, and when David admitted his sins, God forgave him. Though Paul did great work as a preacher and missionary, he said it was a daily struggle to quit sin (Romans 7). And John reminds us of the remedy we need: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9).

Don’t sit in spiritual sickness or complacency, but invite God in to search your heart and continue making adjustments, aligning your life with the truth of the Word.

— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia

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