What great news that God blesses us even as we’re still mired in our Dirty Little Secrets!

This blog is the last of a 4-part series about Dirty Little Secrets. The goal is for all of us to receive God's biblical encouragement and practical help for overcoming our Dirty Little Secrets for God's glory, our good, and His Kingdom purposes!

God Blesses Us Even Before We Overcome Our Dirty Little Secrets

God blesses us even when...

• …sin cripples us. Example: I sinned by being a habitual liar for more than 20 years. Yet God still worked through me to help lead dozens of people to salvation and to help disciple hundreds.
• …failure paralyzes us. Example: I failed at becoming a medical researcher. But God gave me success as a college professor, pastor, and Christian life coach. Now, I enjoy research even more, because it's to help people fulfill their Christian calling and grow in Christ.
• …other people or life circumstances hurt us. Example: Some of my teen-age peers teased me being a geek. That, combined with later significant failures, hurt my self-confidence and sense of value, to the extent that I lost—for decades—my sense of who I really am. But God now uses my unique blend of geekiness and authenticity to help others to grow in Him.

The notion that God blesses us even as we’re still mired in Dirty Little Secrets is biblical:

• Jacob sinned as the ultimate deceiver, stealing his brother Esau’s birthright as the first-born son, and setting into motion widespread cultural unrest that still persists to this day. Yet the nation of Israel and even Jesus Himself came from Jacob’s lineage.
• Peter failed miserably and publicly in Jesus’ darkest hour after declaring he would never leave Him, and then hours later Peter denied he even knew his Lord. Yet Yet God transformed this passionate but impulsive disciple into a mighty evangelist to the gentiles.
• Joseph’s brothers hurt him deeply by selling him into slavery and faking his death so that their father thought he'd been killed by a wild animal. Yet God transformed the pain of Joseph's captivity into a crucial time of preparation for making Joseph second-in-command of the nation of Egypt.

Of course, we should never try minimize the seriousness of disobeying God.

Nevertheless, it's essential to know that God does indeed bless us even when we sin, fail, and are hurt by other people.

God blesses us because He loves us, even during our Dirty Little Secrets.

That’s why He gave us salvation in the first place! And once we are saved, we become His beloved, priceless children!

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)

God gives us His amazing grace, even during our Dirty Little Secrets.

That means He lives within us, protects us, guides us, and empowers us, even though we’re not perfect.

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

But What If You've Already Blown It Big-Time?

When did YOU really blow it? 

EVERYONE has Dirty Little Secrets. We've ALL blown it big-time!

Dirty Little Secrets are the events, feelings, thoughts, and actions in your life that you don’t talk about with anyone. They're our sins, honest failures, and hurts stemming from other people or circumstances.

You can rest assured that:

• There is no sin so great that it cannot be forgiven. 
• There is no or failure so deep that it cannot be healed. 
• There is no life so broken that it cannot be restored and made into something beautiful by the touch of the Master’s hand.

"Father, I [the Prodigal son] have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.” So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:17-24)

God Frees Us from Our Dirty Little Secrets

God wants us to:

• Become fully who He created us to be. 
• Do fully what He created us to do.

We can absolutely do that, in His power and grace, as we take steps to overcome our Dirty Little Secrets.

To overcome your Dirty Little Secrets, "work out your salvation," as this verse says:

Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)

That means put your faith into practice. Ask God for the courage to take specific, biblical steps to overcome Dirty Little Secrets. As you do, God will indwell your obedience with His mighty power and love. (Click here to see Blog 3 of this series for more details about "working out your salvation.")

“7 Practical Steps for Victory Over Your Dirty Little Secrets” is a practical, biblical way to start working out your salvation. (Click here to see Blog 3 of this series for more details about "working out your salvation.") 

God Makes Us into His New Creations

If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

When we take practical, biblical steps to overcome our Dirty Little Secrets, God’s miraculous, transformational love and power make us into new creations: 

• All for His glory. 
• All for our good. 
• All for His Kingdom purposes.

My prayers are with you as you take these courageous, transformational steps for overcoming your Dirty Little Secrets. 

• Identify the Dirty Little Secrets that God wants you to overcome. (Click to read Part 1)
• Thank God for how He has already been helping you overcome your Dirty Little Secrets. (Click to read Part 2)
• Discover the “7 Practical Steps for Victory Over Your Dirty Little Secrets.” (Click to read Part 3)
• Implement the “7 Practical Steps for Victory Over Your Dirty Little Secrets.” (today's blog)

God bless you!