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Crumbled from Within Today's Devotional Read: Psalm 32:1–5; Matthew 7:1–5 Bible in a Year: Isaiah 59–61; 2 Thessalonians 3 I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin. Psalm 32:5 When I was a , my mom painted a mural on our living room wall, which stayed there for several years. It showed an ancient Greek scene of a ruined temple with white columns lying on their sides, a crumbling fountain, and a broken statue. As I looked at the Hellenistic architecture that had once held great beauty, I tried to imagine what had destroyed it. I was curious, especially when I began studying about the tragedy of once great and thriving civilizations that had decayed and crumbled from within. The sinful depravity and wanton destruction we see around us today can be troubling. It’s natural for us to try to explain it by pointing to people and nations that have rejected God. But shouldn’t we be casting our gaze inwardly as well? Scripture warns us about being hypocrites when we out others to turn from their sinful ways without also taking a deeper look inside our own hearts (Matthew 7:1–5). Psalm 32 challenges us to see and confess our own sin. It’s only when we recognize and confess our personal sin that we can experience freedom from guilt and the joy of true repentance (vv. 1–5). And as we rejoice in knowing that God offers us complete forgiveness, we can share that hope with others who are also struggling with sin. What’s the first step in identifying sin in your life? Why is it vital that you confess your sin to God? Father God, I thank You for the of Your forgiveness that eliminates the guilt of my sin. Help to first examine my own heart before I concern myself with the sins of others. 
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Everyone, whether Christian or not, should do some inner examination of themselves rather than trying to examine and change others. Be a prism, spreading God's light and love, not a mirror reflecting the world's hatred.
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