“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” -Psalm 32:1
“Blessed” in this verse can literally be translated “Happy – Happy is the one whose transgression is forgiven.” By implication, the opposite is true. When (even as believers) we hang on to our sin and refuse to be daily-repenters, we will not experience the joy of close communion with the Lord.
Psalm 32 is a beautiful picture of experiencing that forgiveness. David speaks about how awful he felt when he “kept silent” (refusing to seek God’s forgiveness), and the weight that was lifted when he confessed his sin before the Lord. The difference in how he felt was like night and day. It is the same for me. When I am sensitive to the Holy Spirit and his conviction of sin in my life, I need to confess it and repent of it. If I hold on to it, I will not experience his blessing on my life or his felt presence with me. So, I must refuse to hang on to my sin (gossip, bad attitudes, laziness, gluttony, lust, envy, pride, etc.). I need to take it instead to the Lord, confessing it and forsaking it. I need to do this regularly (as in everyday!) He will help me do this through the power of His Spirit within me. And I will experience His peace, joy, and felt presence, which will then enable me to move on to the Essential 3.
