If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me! - Psalm 66:18-20
The story of sin begins and ends (for the unbelieving) with separation from God. Sin separated our parents from the presence and fellowship with God in the garden. Sin prevents every one of us from entering His eternal presence without the sin being removed.
Psalms 66:18-20 points out an important principle that many people overlook in the day to day fellowship we have with our creator. We all know 1 John 1:9, where God will forgive us if we confess our sins. But God also knows our hearts, He knows when we are simply giving lip-service and insincere confession while cherishing sin in our hearts. (LINK: Insincere Confession)
We should not expect reprieve from guilt and peace in our hearts and a restoration of communion as long as we cherish sin in our hearts. If God seems far away, if your prayers feel unheard and your spiritual walk is stagnant, look to your heart. Confess your sin to someone, fight the lust in your heart, be willing to do whatever it takes to defeat sin. Then God will lift you up and restore your spirit and strengthen you.
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