“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins might be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”- Acts 3:19
As Anne Graham Lotz concludes Chapter 6 of Wounded by God’s People, she states that the Bible describes Hagar’s turnaround as repentance. What is true for Hagar is true for us- it’s not enough simply to have a name for our blind spots or to have a fresh encounter with the Lord. Without repentance, Anne emphasizes, we’ll never overcome our sins. In the process, we’ll miss the blessing God has in store for us. Repentance is vital to our successful healing journey.
The author imagines how Sarah’s face must have looked when Hagar returned. With her spiritual macular degeneration fully operative, Sarah blamed Abraham for the very situation she herself had arranged. Furthermore, Sarah thought she could get rid of her problem with a sharp word and a slap of the hand: no serious soul-searching required. But Hagar’s return put the responsibility for Sarah’s attitude squarely where it belonged- on Sarah!
For our wounds to truly heal, we must be brutally honest with ourselves. We must leave behind any pride, rebellion, rationalization, self-defense, or self-pity. It’s time, Anne concludes, to make a courageous choice to turn around: “The time for refreshing has come, but you and I must be willing to open our eyes. Then turn around. Turn around.”
Today’s question: What healthy ways for dealing with your spiritual blind spots have been most effective? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “God: Genie or Divine Gardener?”
