Why We Hide After We Fall

The first man God ever made was named Adam. God came walking through the garden, and the first thing Adam did when he heard Him coming was go get behind a tree.

We all do the same thing, just with a different sin. You get up from the sin and you can't stand yourself, so you keep away from God for about four days. How do you talk to Him after that?

Four days later you're tired and you're by yourself, and it happens again.

Why does feeling that bad about it never break the cycle?

Most people think the shame is working for them. It feels like God getting your attention, and it feels like proof you still care.

There are two things getting mixed up here. When God puts His finger on our sin, it moves us toward Him. Shame sends us off to deal with it alone, and alone is where shame wins.

Read what Genesis says he did:

"And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden."

Genesis 3:8 (KJV)

Catch what he hid from: the presence of the LORD God.

The verse at the top is from a letter written by a man named Paul, to a church full of people who had come out of some hard living. Start with his first words. And such were some of you.

Were.

Past tense. He's writing to people who used to live very differently, and he puts it behind them in the same breath.

Then he says three things about them, and all three are already done.

Washed means the filth came off, and notice who did the washing, because it wasn't us. Sanctified means God set them apart and called them His. Justified means He already called them right with Him, long before they ever put together a clean week.

We hide the very sin God already took off us.

Go back to that garden a second. Adam hid, and God came looking for him. He still comes looking.

Jesus wore the shame that sends people behind trees. He wore it in public, with nothing of His own to be ashamed of, so it would never be the thing that keeps you hidden from God.

Every clean word Paul wrote about you was bought when He wore that shame.

You're hiding from the one Person who already saw all of it and washed you anyway.

It's probably going to happen again, and when it does it won't undo one word of what Paul wrote.

What keeps the cycle turning is the four days after, when we go silent on God. Feeling worse about it has never worked for anyone. You get free by going to Him first, on the exact morning you feel the least welcome.

Here's how to quit hiding from God today:

1. Go to Him before you go quiet.

The second it's over, say something to Him. It doesn't have to sound good. Something like, God, I did it again and You already know. You just skipped the part that keeps this going.

2. Read the past tense out loud.

Such were some of you, but ye are washed. Were, then are, in that order. Say it on the mornings you don't believe a word of it, because it's true whether you feel it or not.

3. Don't give it four days.

Open the Bible that same night, and go to church that Sunday like nothing disqualified you, because nothing did. Sitting yourself out is the hiding all over again.

PRAYER

Holy God, You know exactly why I go quiet on You after it happens.

I get up from it and I can't stand myself, and I put days between us before I'll say a word to You.

Thank You that Paul wrote were, and that You put it behind me before I ever managed a clean week.

Thank You that Jesus wore my shame where everybody could see it, so I'd never have to sit alone with it in the dark.

Today I come out of hiding.

The next time it happens I'm coming straight to You instead of waiting four more days.

Help me want You more than I want the escape it gives me.

I'm washed, and You said so first.

In Jesus' wonderful name we pray. Amen.