“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

If you have a bad experience with a certain food, it’s easy not to make that mistake again. You just don’t order it, prepare it, or put it in your mouth. If you hated a rollercoaster ride, you just don’t get in that line ever again. But what do you about a bad experience in a spiritual sense? Is simply staying away from an outward behavior and not committing that sin ever again all it takes to be right with God?

David had sinned grievously. He’d committed adultery, lied, and then had a good guy murdered in order to cover it up. After that, David went on with life like nothing was wrong. He didn’t commit those sins continually, but he still wasn’t right with God. It wasn’t until David made a full confession of guilt that the healing process began. But even that wasn’t enough. The source of the problem was David’s corrupt heart. So in Psalm 55:10, he asked God to cleanse him. He needed God’s forgiveness. Only then could David be right with God.

It’s foolish to think we can simply avoid certain behaviors and move along in the way Jesus wants us to. The joy of fellowship with God is one of God’s greatest gifts. Loss of that fellowship is the greatest tragedy. To restore that fellowship involves more than avoidance or even admission of guilt to God. Restoration includes seeking transformation by giving the Holy Spirit free reign over our hearts.

• How do you usually approach your sins—ignore them, try hard to do better next time, confess them and get forgiven for the same thing over and over again, or invite the Spirit of God to purify your heart and give you the strength to stay faithful to Him?

• Pray: Spend some time in silence before God, recognizing your deep need for Him and seeking His righteousness in your life. Come clean about any impure attitudes, motives, and actions He reveals. Then invite Him to purify your heart.