When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. – Psalm 73:21-22
“My soul was bitter. My heart ruled my head. I was acting on impulse.” This is a serious confession of sin.
Asaph’s confession goes beyond anything that he said or did. It uncovers the hidden movements of his heart. “When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast…” But the deepest part of this confession is contained in the last two words, “toward you.”
There really is an appropriate sense of shame here. “My spirit was bitter. I let my heart rule my head. And You saw the chaos that followed. I was acting on impulse, and You saw what I did, Lord. You saw me acting on impulse when I went to that website. You heard me speaking on impulse at that breakfast. I was sinning against you.”
This is not a man who needs counseling. This is a man who needs cleansing. He needs to bring out the junk of his inner life in the presence of God. He needs to confess.
If God gives you an awareness of your own sin today, it is a sure sign that He is at work in your life. He is turning you around so that you can move in a new direction. You are never closer to Jesus than when you are most aware of your own sin.
Are you ready to find cleansing from your sin? Bring out the junk of your inner life in the presence of God in prayer.
