My dear brothers and sisters, it is with a heavy heart that I write to you today about the wickedness that surrounds us. As we see in Acts 8:22, Simon the sorcerer sought to buy the power of the Holy Spirit with money. He believed that he could control God's power for his own benefit, and his actions were a manifestation of his wickedness.
But let us not be quick to judge Simon alone. For we are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God. We have all committed wickedness in our lives, whether big or small, intentional or unintentional. And so, we must seek forgiveness and healing from God for our sins.
To do so, we must first confess our sins to God. We must humble ourselves before Him and acknowledge our wrongdoing. In Proverbs 28:13, it says, "Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy." By confessing our sins, we open ourselves up to God's mercy and forgiveness.
But confession alone is not enough. We must also repent of our sins. Repentance means turning away from our sinful ways and turning towards God. It means changing our behavior and living in a way that honors God. As it says in Acts 3:19, "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."
Furthermore, we must also seek healing from our sins. Sin can leave deep wounds within us, and we need God's healing touch to overcome them. Psalm 147:3 says, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Through prayer, we can ask God to heal us and restore us to wholeness.
In conclusion, my dear brothers and sisters, let us not be weighed down by the burden of our sins. Instead, let us turn to God in confession, repentance, and prayer, seeking His forgiveness and healing. For He is a loving and merciful God who longs to see His children return to Him. May we be strengthened by His grace and live in a way that honors Him.
