Confronting Sin with Courage: Trusting God to Overcome

What happens when you find yourself face-to-face with authority figures, compelled to address the sin or wrongdoing in their actions? Inspired by the biblical story of Daniel and King Nebuchadnezzar, we unpack Daniel's courage in the face of such challenges—a courage that teaches us about faith, truth, and empathy. Journey with me, Jesse Morgan, as we explore the art of confronting sin with both bravery and understanding. We'll reflect on the personal and spiritual growth that comes from such encounters, urging you to consider your own readiness to address both personal and external wrongdoings with integrity and compassion.

As we navigate this path, I'll share a light-hearted tale of my frequent confusion between Daniel and David, which, while humorous, underscores the profound impact these figures have had in shaping faith. Along with these reflections, I discuss how daily devotions can strengthen our connection to God and encourage you to embrace divine timing in your own life. Plus, I'll guide you on how to stay connected through my website, Instagram, and future episodes, sharing these insights with those who may find them uplifting. Join me in this heartfelt exploration as we walk together on this journey of faith and growth.

Follow Jessi Morgan on social:
IG - @JessiMorganlife
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Website: www.jessimorganhome.com/devotions
Contact: jessi@jessimorganhome.com

Podcast Music by: prazkhanal
Song: Whip

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hello, hello.

Speaker 1: 0:01

You're listening to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast, episode 25. This week's devotional is titled Confronting Sin with Courage, trusting God to Overcome. Let's do this. Hi, I'm Jesse Morgan. I used to just share home decor and renovation tips on social media, but now I'm sharing something even closer to my heart my journey and love for Jesus Christ, my Savior. Welcome to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Hawk Podcast.

Speaker 1: 0:29

This is a weekly devotional. I started back in May 2024, but the inspiration for it came much earlier. It was rooted in a faith journey that began when my daughter was born, four months early in 2023. Through that challenging time, god worked in ways that truly amazed me. On this podcast, I share personal stories of faith, woven together with scripture, to show just how incredible God's word can be in our everyday lives. My hope is that through these stories, you'll be encouraged, uplifted and reminded of God's love and presence, no matter what you're going through. So I invite you to spend less than 15 minutes with me each week as we reflect on these devotionals together. Let's all pray within.

Speaker 1: 1:15

Confronting Sin with Courage, trusting God to Overcome Episode 25. Hey everybody, this is your host, jessi, and today we're diving into a really powerful topic confronting a wrong or a sin. Key verses Daniel 4, 10-7, james 5, 19-20. So I came up with a saying that really speaks to this Confront the sin or wrongdoing or miss an opportunity for God's blessing. And isn't that the truth? We've all had those moments where we knew or know we need to confront something or someone, but the thought of it fills with dread. You feel God nudging you, but still there's fear Sound familiar. Well, let me tell you you're not alone in that, because even Daniel felt this way.

Speaker 1: 1:59

Let's talk a little bit about Daniel in the Bible. That's who our focus character is for this devotional. He was a Jewish nobleman who was taken into captivity and served in courts of Babylon and later Persia for his entire life. Despite being in these foreign lands, daniel's faith in God was rock solid and he was known for interpreting dreams, a gift that he always credited to God. As many people that listen to my podcast every week, you will see a pattern of Daniel is mentioned a lot. I just studied Daniel for a very long time and I just find him to be one of the most captivating faith-based Bible characters there is. So there's just so many lessons and, I think a lot of people don't really spend time digging into Daniel. So at times when I can, I will always try to use Daniel to apply to some of the devotionals that I really want to discuss. So just to let you know.

Speaker 1: 2:50

But anyways, today we're focusing on one specific moment in Daniel's life his interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's second dream. King Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful king there was of Babylon. Anyway, the king's dream troubled him and no one could explain it. So he turned to Daniel, but Daniel hesitated before sharing its meaning, not because he didn't know what it meant, but because the message was so intense. Let me give you a quick summary of the dream found in Daniel 4, 10 through 17.

Speaker 1: 3:22

Nebuchadnezzar he dreamt of a massive tree reaching up to the heavens, providing shelter and food for all the animals. Then a messenger from heaven ordered the tree to be cut down, leaving only the stump and roots. Daniel told the king you are that tree. The dream was a warning the king would be cut down and humbled because of his pride and his sin. Warning the king would be cut down and humbled because of his pride and his sin. He would live like a wild animal, away from human society.

Speaker 1: 3:49

But here's the hopeful part. The stump and roots symbolized the chance for redemption if Nebuchadnezzar repented of his sin. Daniel even gave the king some advice, which wasn't warranted. He said to renounce your sin, help the oppressed and turn to God. Now remember back then, with culture, with rules, you couldn't just correct a king, especially a king of Babylon, for example. So the fact that Daniel took it a step further to give him advice and tell him you need to repent of your sins, that takes guts. So can you imagine how Daniel must have felt, standing in front of the most powerful man in the world, telling him that he's about to lose everything because of his sin? Talk about awkward and terrifying. But Daniel didn't back down. He told the truth, even though it was hard. And, as we later read, nebuchadnezzar didn't listen at first, and the dream came true. He hit rock bottom before eventually repenting and being restored.

Speaker 1: 4:57

Now let's bring this to our lives for a minute. Are you willing to call someone out when it's needed or, on the flip side, are you open to being corrected yourself? Think back when the we know that story Didn't turn out well, but anyways, david had to face his guilt, own it and repent his sin. That's what God wants us to do sometimes, whether we're the one confronting sin or being confronted. It's so important to handle these situations in a way that encourages growth and repentance. That means knowing your audience and speaking in a way that they can receive it. We're going to really focus on giving that feedback confronting somebody versus you receiving it, because we know when you receive it, you need to receive it, pray, ask for the forgiveness and move forward. But what do you really do when you're confronting someone? How does that work? So that's really where the focus is today. Anyways, you don't just go up to someone who doesn't believe in God and yell at them that they're going to hell. That's just not the way to confront someone if they've done something wrong. So, like I said before, you need to know your audience and speak in the way that they would receive it. Instead, we need to approach these moments with love and grace, knowing that the goal is redemption and not condemnation.

Speaker 1: 6:24

I have a personal story where I had to confront something, but instead of a person, it was my company's HR department. Here's what happened. Just listen. After I had Sage four months early, I contacted HR to start my leave. The benefits team was understanding and kind and since it was emergency you know labor I was given six weeks of short-term disability automatically, which didn't interfere with the six-month maternity leave I had planned At my company. I had planned At my company they give you six months maternity leave, fully paid.

Speaker 1: 6:56

At first I was relieved that the short term didn't affect the six months maternity leave, so I was happy, and so then I just planned on focusing on my healing and visiting Sage in the hospital daily. But when my short term disability ended and I inquired about my maternity leave, I was shocked by their response. They told me that because I had given birth early, I no longer qualified for maternity leave. Instead, I was offered 12 weeks of bonding leave, the same level offered for premature births, surrogacy and adoption. I was devastated. How could I get 12 weeks with a 23-week preemie?

Speaker 1: 7:38

That night I prayed and God laid it on my heart to call out this policy. The next day I wrote an email expressing my concerns. I explained how unfair this policy was, not just for me but for all moms and premature babies. I gave examples like what if a mom of twins had one baby at home and one still in the NICU? I ended up. I ended my email by saying I'm a loyal employee and I don't plan to blast this everywhere first, because I'm a Christian and that's not what my faith is about, but you need to do better. I hit, send and then cried, but I thanked God for the courage to speak up.

Speaker 1: 8:18

Within four days, I got a response and we set up a call. The benefits team listened to my concerns and admitted they had never encountered this situation before. They promised to look into it. After doing some research, they created a new family medical leave option for situations like mine. It allowed me to take six to 12 additional weeks of pay leave with a doctor's note. I was the first employee to use this new benefit and I was so grateful to have the extra time with my daughter. God is so good.

Speaker 1: 8:51

What started as a daunting confrontation turned into a blessing, not just for me, but for other employees as well. God was with me every step of the way, giving me the courage to speak up and the wisdom to know how to approach the situation. Sure, it's HR and a company, but it's still the same concept. The benefits team appreciated my transparency, but also my fairness and how I approached them. You see, two things you can take with you when you confront somebody. So here are a few other lessons I've learned about confronting sin or injustice.

Speaker 1: 9:25

Number one devotion. Spend time with God to receive his guidance. The more you're in his word, the easier it becomes to follow his lead. Number two prayer. Before confronting a problem, pray for guidance and comfort. Number three praise. Praise God in advance, before you even confront or handle a situation. Keep the positivity. Praise God for already fixing the situation and giving you strength to handle it. That's what you call faith. Number four know your audience. You can't approach everyone the same way. Speak with love and compassion, always knowing who you're addressing.

Speaker 1: 10:02

I encourage you today to face the challenges of sin head on, to make space for time with God and to seek his wisdom in everything you do. It's so rewarding when you successfully correct a loved one from sin, and especially when they realize they were wrong. At times it may not go well, but you planted the seed of salvation and redemption. You did your part or they did their part for you. Vice versa, for, as I said earlier, james 5, 19 through 20 just wraps this up beautifully. And here's it again. My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring and here's it again and make them rework their decisions going forward. That is a success, guys. That's a blessing.

Speaker 1: 11:01

We all know to initially confront is hard. It's hard, but the mindset afterwards should clear your mind of guilt, whether they receive it or they don't. So let's pray. Heavenly Father, we come before you today recognizing our need for your strength and guidance. Just as you empowered Daniel to do what seems so scary and advise a king to repent his sins, we ask you to empower us in the areas where we feel weak or unworthy. Help us to confront sin and challenges in our lives with confidence, knowing that through you we are capable of handling any confrontation. We trust in your power and we ask that you lead us every step of the way. In Jesus name, we pray Amen. Love you, guys, thanks.

Speaker 1: 11:53

Well, that wraps up this week's episode. I hope these devotions help you draw closer to God each day. If this episode encouraged you, please share it with someone who might need the same message, and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a weekly episode. For more information or to reach out, check the show notes or visit jessimorganhomecom or find me on Instagram at jessimorganlife. Remember God's timing is always perfect. Keep trusting him Until next time. This is Jessi Morgan praying off. I know I have such a hard time. I always say Daniel and then I mean David. Then I say David, then I mean Daniel. The good thing is those are two of the most memorable, amazing biblical characters in the Bible. So you can't go wrong saying one or one name over the other. But that's just how it goes.