Skeletons in the Closet
I don’t know if you have noticed or not but people from many walks and vocations of life are beginning to publicly share the ugly side of their past journeys. From Hollywood, the theatre, the sports world, Country and Western world, news media and the Christian world we are hearing heart breaking stories of secrets that have been hidden for years. The upside of those awful heart-breaking stories comes the potential for healing, freedom, forgiveness, restored relationships and a brand-new sense of worth and confidence. Isn’t it amazing that God knows all about us and still love us?
Betty and I recently watched the documentary of the Christian Comedian, Chonda Pierce, “Laughing in the Dark.” It was a very transparent story, told by Chonda herself, of sacrifice and heartbreak, all during her career as a comedian. We were impacted by her truthfulness and realness.
Over the summer, I taught the online class of Pastoral Counseling at Regent University. It was a life transforming course. One of the textbooks used in that course was, Discipleship Counseling by Dr. Neil Anderson. While speaking in the chapter, Overcoming Habitual Sin he shared the following, “You’ve heard the expression, “A skeleton in the closet” Well, suppose I have a skeleton in my closet——-something that I’ve done wrong that I have never addressed with God. What does the liar, the deceiver, the accuser of the brethren do? He knocks at my door and says, “I want to talk with you about the skeleton in your closet.” Immediately I feel anxious, guilty, and condemned because I know there is a skeleton there. If I were to open the door, everyone would be able to see it.
Now suppose that I have completely repented of my sin. There is no longer a skeleton in my closet. The Bible tells me that God totally cleanses and forgives me and that he will never again bring up that sin and use it against me. But Satan doesn’t give up easily; he continues to knock at the door and tell me that he wants to talk about the skeleton in my closet. This time, however, I don’t feel the same anxiety and guilt. I still remember that there used to be a skeleton in the closet, but I know it’s not there anymore. There is a big difference between an unresolved conflict from our past and only the memory of the conflict. Based on scripture, what you have done in going through the Counseling Steps is to reduce those experiences to memories. You are free from the past and the sin that entangled you. It is no longer has any hold on you!
After using that illustration, you may sense God leading to ask, are there any skeletons in my closet that we have missed?” Sometimes the Lord prompts people to name something, such as lying, cheating, or stealing. But one person explained, the door is open, the light is on, and the closet is empty!”