Wanna know what the biggest killer of confidence is?
It’s being paralyzed by guilt because you’ve sinned.
I’ve personally experienced this many times.
For example, let’s say I fall into temptation and go on a porno binge.
Afterward, I feel like crap.
If I step outside to run an errand and bump into someone I know on the street, of course, I’ll say “Hello,” like nothing happened.
But deep down inside, I’m filled with embarrassment and shame, especially if the person I bumped into was a female.
Of course, she has no idea I was watching porn earlier, but somehow, on some weird, spiritual, energetic level, it’s like I feel she knows what I was doing.
I just can’t be my normal, powerful self afterward.
I’m mentally screwed for the whole freakin’ day!
I’ll have to work out or take a cold shower or something to shake off the negative feelings.
I’ve never been married, but I imagine a man who has just cheated on his wife feels the same way when he returns to his family after having slept with another woman.
On the surface, he tries to pretend like nothing happened.
But deep down inside, he knows what he did.
Every time he looks at his wife or his kids, he knows he betrayed them.
He is paralyzed by guilt and can’t be his normal self anymore.
The sin he committed will affect every part of his life.
It will affect his sales calls later that day.
It will affect how he interacts with his boss.
His ability to show up in every area of his life with confidence will have been rendered impotent.
Ya feel me?
So why do I bring this up?
And what in the world does this have to do with 2nd Samuel Chapter 15?
Well, homies, it has everything to do with this chapter when we examine David’s behavior in light of Absalom’s rebellion.
We don’t know how long David’s son was engaged in his disloyal political activities.
But one thing for sure is that there’s no way David wasn’t aware of it.
Even some of the Psalms he wrote talk about his son’s betrayal.
And I betcha members of David’s inner circle tried to warn David about Absalom—that he was committing treason.
Yet David didn’t take any action to stop his son.
Why?
For the very reason I’ve been talking about.
He was completely and utterly paralyzed by guilt due to his past sins, not to mention being way too lenient with his children.
Not only did the guilt prevent him from taking action against Absalom…
It made him appear like a helpless and ineffective ruler to the people.
As a result, the door for rebellion was flung wide open.
The takeaway here is as clear as the sky on a bright sunny day.
When you sin, your ability to show up confidently in every area of your life is rendered impotent.
You’ve been incapacitated and are now unable to be and do all that God created you for.
On a positive note, the opposite is also true.
When you obey God’s commands and successfully overcome the world’s fleshly temptations, you possess a confidence that becomes supernatural.
Your interactions with other people are dynamic and bold.
You show up in every area of your life with power and charisma, instead of wandering around in shame like what happened to Cain after he murdered his brother.
To close, I’ll leave you with this verse from the Psalms.
“Create in me a clean heart,
O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
-Psalm 51:10
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“How much more, then,
will the blood of Messiah…
cleanse our consciences
from acts that lead to death,
so that we may serve the living God!”
Hebrews 9:14
“Dear friends,
if we don’t feel guilty,
we can come to God
with bold confidence.”
1 John 3:21
“Let us then approach
God’s throne of grace with confidence,
so that we may receive mercy
and find grace to help us
in our time of need.”
-Hebrews 4:16
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