For the past (almost) 4 years, I’ve had the privilege of working with 6 or 7 guys from Teen Challenge every Tuesday at New Life Church, Alamo, Ca.

Several months ago, we started having a time of sharing together each morning as we eat donuts and drink coffee. They enjoy it because of the coffee and donuts, and I get a chance to share my blog posts. Win,Win for all!! Seriously, it’s become a very beneficial time of sharing our hearts in a small group before starting our day.

Last Tuesday, I shared a blog post about God’s Presence. The phrase that became the point of discussion for the morning was:

“Don’t ever allow the awareness of your sin to keep you out of My Presence.”

The Question of the day became:

“If we can’t pick up our sin and carry it into the presence of the Lord,
what are we to do with it?”

Several things were listed:

• Work harder
• Pray more
• Read more scripture
• Recommit myself
• Deny it
• Bury it
• Blame others
• Promise – never again!
• Stop – just stop!
• Compare mine with yours
• Pretend I don’t… sin (one’o my personal favorites)
• Ignore it, maybe it will just go away
• Do Penance for it
• Run from it
• Cry about it
• Rename it
• Give in to it. Again. Like before
• Justify it

For most of my life, I did not know what to do with my sin. Over the years, I’ve tried all the things on this list, and more. I’ve watched others struggle as well. I’ve come to recognize that lots of (most?) people don’t know either. I knew we are saved by Grace, but then what? What if I keep sinning? Didn’t Jesus say: “Go – and sin no more?” What do I do with my sin? How can I abide in Him if I keep sinning?

There have been days upon days that I find myself standing in the storm, waiting to get dry enough so I can come “inside”. I’ve had those on the “inside” hand me a towel and say: “Here, dry yourself off so you can join us.” Before I know it, my towel is wet, too.

I finally reached the point I knew all my efforts to atone for my shortcomings (see – I renamed my sin) were never going to allow me to come before Him with the boldness and confidence He promises.

I finally learned (He taught me) that the ONLY thing I can do with my sin is pick it up and carry it into His Presence. It is THERE I find victory. It is THERE I find Love. It is THERE I find acceptance. It is THERE I find forgiveness. It is THERE I find freedom and joy. I can go THERE because HE says: “COME“

What are U doing with Ur sin?
How’s that working 4U?
Is Ur towel wet?

Therefore,… we have confidence by His blood,… to draw near to God with a sincere heart, in full assurance of faith…   Hebrews 10; 19-22 NIV