Hidden sin, by its very nature, opens wide the floodgates of guilt and shame. So a negative reaction is no surprise: “I’ll just bury this thing a little deeper so no one will ever discover who I really am.” Satan has used shame in countless lives persuading God’s people to back-slide, where alienation from Him becomes a way of life. Just think how being more open about our weakness would serve to cripple this strategy the devil so routinely exploits.
         Instead of allowing sin to drive us from God, we need to run to God when we sin. This can be difficult, though, because we’ve been taught to behave ourselves. And when we don’t, our conscience tells us we must clean up our act before we can ever go to God. After all, how else can we feel worthy enough to deserve His help? False thinking, I know, but very real all the same.

Isn’t our sin embarrassing? Not just the obvious ones, but ungodly attitudes as well! We instinctively cover sin up, trying to appear more respectable than we really are. No doubt pride has a lot to do with this.
        When we sin we tend to run from God. We do this not just because we sense God’s displeasure, but because we think no one else has these problems. “How could I do something so displeasing to God? What inner flaw would provoke me to even think of such a thing?”
        Trying to keep sin hidden always leads to an oppressive sense of shame. Shame has a crippling effect on a person’s life. Psychologists say that it’s often at the heart of emotional dysfunction. So it’s not hard to see how Satan—who is called “the accuser of our brethren”—can use shame as a wedge to drive us from God.

From Free from the Power of Sin: the Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself

In Christ we enjoy the marvelous advantage of absolute security. But don’t let it stop there. The Lord has called us to even greater purpose—wholehearted submission to His will. Such intentional commitment to Him demands that our life be squarely aimed at two very important targets: first, to serve Him, and, second, to embrace spiritual growth through personal transformation. These goals provide the catalyst for bearing “much fruit.”
        Jesus wants radical change in us: “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” Paul says. Rarely does this happen instantaneously. Rather it’s a transformation of our character, which is always a more arduous and painful solution to the problem. Yet as annoying as this approach might seem, ultimately it is far more productive when the entire scope of God’s purpose is taken into account.

Jesus said, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.” Bearing fruit—abundant fruit, in particular—truly glorifies God and ultimately proves that we are Christ’s disciples. And nowhere does Jesus say it better than when He talks about being the “true vine.” Here Jesus is the vine and we are the branches, a relationship that can’t help but be fruitful—provided, that is, that each of the parties is faithful to do his part.
        A variety of virtues are embodied in godly fruit, but its highest and all-encompassing expression is love—love of God, love for His family and, more generally, love toward others. We all know, however, that such fruit doesn’t simply materialize overnight. It only can grow and develop over time as we steadily draw on God’s life.