Self-honesty is a very important thing. It unlocks for us so many things that are crucial to living a life of freedom and joy, with no need to prove ourselves. Truth be told, if we're all honest with ourselves we'd be living in a better world now.
To help you see the importance of being honest with ourselves, here are three things to note:
1) Without honesty, we won't be able to repent of all sin
1 John 1:8 tells us, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Unless we stop lying to ourselves and admit our real sinful motives, we won't be able to let them go.
Humans, trying to escape the fact they have sinned, lie and deceive others. They make a show and try to paint a picture that they're good, innocent, and blameless, even when they're not. What they don't realize is the person they're deceiving primarily is themselves.
Unless we admit our sins, we won't be able to let it go. We won't be able to truly repent.
2) We have to be honest in order for God to change us
1 John 1:9 tells us that unless we admit our sins, we can never be forgiven and changed:
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Think about that. How can we ask God to forgive us for something we won't even admit doing? How can God cleanse us from the deep-seated dirt in our hearts if we keep saying we don't have it? Ridiculous, right?
If we truly want to be clean, we will need to reveal all the dirt in us. And there's no reason to fear revealing ourselves to God, because His "perfect love casts out fear" (see 1 John 4:18).
He knows who we are and what we have done, but instead of hating and abhorring us, He wants us cleansed and made holy, totally freed from sin. That's His commitment. Isn't God awesome?
3) It's necessary for us to be free
Lastly, self-honesty, when coupled with God's truth, will allow us to be free. The Lord Jesus said in John 8:31-32,
"If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
Of course we know He is talking about Himself and God's word there, but if we take a good look at it, we'll realize that our self-honesty is implied there:
"If you abide in My word..."
Do we really abide in God's word that says we should repent? Do we obey God's word that says "though shall not lie," even to ourselves? Do we abide by God's word, which says He knows the inner longings of our hearts?
Friends, we can't fool God. He sees us through and through. Before we do anything, He has already seen us doing it. What's the point of trying to convince Him that we're clean? We are simply lying to ourselves and to Him when we do that.
Let's be honest before the Lord. Let's just openly lay down our hearts to Him, with all our intentions. He's good, and there's nothing to fear when it comes to being honest with Him.
