Denial

2 Timothy 3:5 NIV “Having a form of godliness, but denying its power”
2 Timothy 3:5 the Message “They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes their animals”

The Bible tells us to have nothing to do with such people. Ummmmm….God?….could I be “such people”? And what does it mean to deny anyways? I had to look it up: to say that something is not true or to refuse to believe, to refuse to recognize or acknowledge. Wow, I have definitely engaged in denial of some form.

If you ask me if I love Jesus and believe in Him, if I have been saved, I will answer you with a resounding yes. And that is not a lie, these things are true. But…at times, have I refused to acknowledge His power?

What about when I look at someone in my life who is bothering me, and find myself believing that they are a lost cause and hopeless for change? What about when I get down on myself and refuse to acknowledge that He loves me? What about when I don’t listen to promptings of the spirit because it might look or feel weird? What about when I pop off at my kids because I’ve had a bad day and don’t know how to deal with my anger? What about when I refuse to stop dong something that I know isn’t healthy? And this one is going to hurt to type, but here goes…get ready for the ouch…what about when I blog about things that God has shown me and then forget about them the next day never letting them permeate the depths they need to in order to change my life? What about when I choose to trust myself over Him? Do I deny Him?

Peter. A disciple. One of the few who got to see and touch and talk with Jesus in human form. And yet, still he denied Him. Not once, not twice, but three times. And after it all was finished, Christ crucified and raised from the dead, Christ cared enough to do this. In one of His appearances following the resurrection he asks Peter 3 times, do you love me? And Peter says yes. Then feed my sheep, Jesus says.

You see, He knows we are messy. He knows that each and every one of us are capable of denying Him in some form or fashion, not just once, not just twice, but multiple times. But…He asks us…do you love me? Of course I do Father. Then you are forgiven, now go feed my sheep.

Having a form of godliness, but denying it’s power. I may fall down, I may shudder at the thought of stepping out on a limb, I may hurt beyond what I feel is repairable, I will have bad days, but deny His power, I never ever will.