And He was saying, “That which comes out of the person, that is what defiles the person. For from within, out of the hearts of people, come the evil thoughts, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, acts of adultery, deeds of greed, wickedness, deceit, indecent behavior, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile the person.”

Have you ever been in denial about something? How far did it go before you accepted reality? Denial is a defense tactic many of us use to create a form of reality that is easier to process and comprehend. The fundamental problem with this tactic is, even though it may make us feel better in the moment, it is not based in reality. We don’t deal with the problem, we avoid it, and that damages our souls. At some point, we’ll have to go back and deal with that damage.

We can live in denial for several reasons, even as we walk in faith. When you ask some people about their relationship with God they argue, “Well, I go to church so I am fine,” or “I am a good person.” These arguments are a form of denial because they deny the reality of sin in every person’s heart. Jesus called out this issue time and time again because we have to deal with reality before we can start moving forward in a new way. You have a broken, sinful heart. We all suffer from this disease, and we can’t live in denial about it. It is evident in the ways we act out in our evil thoughts, greed, envy, foolishness, and deceit. We need Jesus. We need Him to cover the sin in our hearts through His sacrifice on the cross and show us the new way forward in every area in our lives. It is time to open up your heart, confess your sin, admit your brokenness, and run to the Healer.

• When have you lived in denial in your faith? What kind of damage did that cause?
• Have you surrendered to Christ and allowed Him to heal the wounds in your heart? Why or why not? If not, what would it take for you to do so?
• Pray for the people around you who do not know Christ, that they may not live in denial but open their eyes to the sin of their heart so that they can find healing in the Savior.