The Secret’s In the Cushion: A word on sin

When I was a kid, I loved to eat.
Even more than I do now.

My parents had no problem with me eating (I was a big boy), but they didn’t like me eating at certain times.

One of those “no eat” times was before dinner.

Starting about an hour before dinner, I wasn’t supposed to eat anything.

Every now and then, I’d still try to sneak something out of the kitchen to eat while I was sitting on the couch.

When Mom or Dad would walk into the room, I’d stick whatever I had between the seat cushions.
The wrappers from whatever I was eating would go down there too.

I knew I was doing something wrong, so I tried my best to hide it.
I did a great job, for a little while.

Until the remote or something would get under the couch and my Dad would have to lean the couch over to get it.
Or until the food and the wrappers began to stink enough to become noticeable.

My point…

Some people are still sticking stuff in the couch cushions.

You have that secret,
that thing that know one knows,
that thing that would change others’ opinion of you if they found out.

You have that thing that you’re hiding from everyone:
Your kids, your parents, your spouse, your family, your friends.

You’ve tucked it down in the cushion for so long, sometimes you even forget that it’s down there.
You’ve been doing it so long, it doesn’t even feel that wrong any more…but you still hide it.

The only way that you’re ever going to quit or get out is with the help of someone that loves you.

So…

Lean the couch over.

Confess your sin to God.
Confess your sin to someone you trust that can help you work through it.

Because…

As I learned as a child, only so much can be stuffed in the cushions before it starts becoming noticeable.

Let God clean up the mess.


Comments

17 responses to “The Secret’s In the Cushion: A word on sin”

  1. I love the analagy. Actually, it is a great one. Great reminder dude.

    1. Thanks. Feel free to use that one anytime. :)

      1. Amanda Fogle Avatar
        Amanda Fogle

        Hey Jonathan! Didn’t realize you had a blog. I enjoyed your couch analogy especially the part about you can stuff things in it only for so long before it becomes noticeable to others. So true! I have a dirty little couch secret I would like to confess. I used to put food that I didnt want to eat under our couch so that my parents would think I cleaned my plate and allow me to get up. That worked for awhile until they decided to rearrange the furniture! Then I started sneaking it outside to the dog!!

        1. haha…Yep, never good when you start moving furniture. :) Thanks for dropping by Amanda. Hope you come back!

  2. Mom Avatar
    Mom

    So it was you that made the mess and we thought it was David. Sorry David! Great Blog! Love you

    1. haha… I’m not taking the blame for all of it!

      1. Your Favorite Indiana Cousin Avatar
        Your Favorite Indiana Cousin

        At least she didn’t think it was your pretty girl cousins!! I like this blog. We hide our sins just to have it come out anyway. We hide our sin maybe because we think we have to save our image–even around our brothers and sisters in Christ?.

        1. Very true some times! Thanks! :)

  3. Very nice analogy. The step prior to confession and turnaround is acknowledging that there is an issue (that secret). Great way of looking at it on a practical level.

    1. Yep. Admitting it is the first step. I think a lot of people fall short of that and never look in the cushion. Thanks man!

  4. It’s always scary when it comes to looking under the cushions, but it has to be done.

    Love the analogy and needed the reminder. Thank you!

  5. *cough, cough*

    I don’t have a couch.

    *cough*

    1. haha…How about a recliner or a rug you sweep stuff under?

  6. Charity Avatar
    Charity

    Jonathan, Just wanted to let you know, God had you write that for me. For today. Ouch, and thank you. The truth is sometimes cripling but not as much as the secret is when its hidden.

    1. That’s great to hear, Charity. Act with boldness, conviction, and honesty! Thanks for reading and sharing!!

  7. wow. I am sitting on my couch in prayer asking God to give me something to share at church. I got a picture of all the stuff that fall into our couch cushions and I felt “let God clean out the couch cushions” at first I thought it was crazy and I googled let God clean out the couch cousins and I found this. Thank you. Your analogy is great. I am going to build my own idea around so that I do not take yours. Thank you for sharing.

    1. You’re welcome. You can take this one if you’d like. No copyright. :)

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