Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.

Psalms 19:12

Denial is a trait that we often find in many relationships. Matt, for instance, refused to acknowledge that his wife,Sue, was an alcoholic, even though he found her passed out on the porch from time to time. And Matt even denied his denial, insisting to himself that neither he nor his family had a serious problem.

We all block out reality at times. Some of us delay going to the doctor because we already know that something is wrong and we don’t want to face it. Others can get a direct diagnosis and still tell themselves the doctor was wrong. Counselors are frequently confronted with statements of  denial:

“It’s not as bad as it appears.”

“If I were better, or tried harder, things would be alright.”

“We’re making progress on our own: we don’t need help.”

Denial isn’t easy to break. Let’s ask God to show us our own denial, wherever it may be in our lives.

Prayer:  Lord, help me not to deny my denial.