There is sin in my life.
One sin in particular -I feel the Lord has been asking me to let go.
Recently, a pastor described sin, not as “bad things” that we do, but rather our disposition toward God.
Romans 6- God calls us to be dead to sin and alive in Christ. That means we live trusting that God can meet all our needs and desires in His own time.
Obeying God often involves waiting- that’s part of the refining process.
It flies in the face of our culture and its values- immediate gratification- why wait? You deserve it now.
Sin desires to destroy, kill, maim, possess us, destroy us and all the relationships around us- keep us from fulfilling the calling God has for our lives.
The reality is, this sin in my life has become comfortable, and it is easy for me to rationalize.
Make excuses.
God has been whispering to me for weeks.
Today, however, I felt he practically threw down the gauntlet while I listened to Nancy Leigh DeMoss speak on Holiness.
Here are some of he words that pierced me with conviction (and a quote).
- My children’s personal and spiritual well-being is affected by my obedience to God.
“There must be nothing, absolutely nothing, in my daily conduct that, copied by another, could lead that one into unholiness.” Helen Roseveare
- Do you love your sin so much that you are unwilling to relinquish it for the sake of others?
- Do you care more about indulging your fleshly appetites, than about the eternal well-being of those who are following behind you?
- Ours is a high calling, a holy calling, and it demands that we embrace the highest possible standard of personal and corporate holiness… 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 9: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession” . . . why? . . . “so that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
We live in a society that makes it easy to rationalize sin. But what keeps eating at me is this-I don’t want to live like the world. I want to shine like a light in the darkness. I don’t want to look back on my life with regrets.
So I have to ask- and keep asking:
Do all of things I choose to spend my time doing have at their heart a motivation to serve Him, to honor and glorify Him?
If God was physically present with me at any time in my day, would I be embarrassed by what I was doing?
With Him sitting there watching me?
It is so easy to forget that we can’t hide from God. He sees everything we do.
Habitual sin wastes our time and resources- sends us down rabbit holes and chasing after mirages. Before we know it we are hopelessly lost and many times lacking the courage to choose what we know is right because what is comfortable and familiar is just easier.
Do I believe that God can satisfy me more than any sin?
It can be so easy to let the world lie to us. I deserve it. This is my time. I have given God this part of my day, now this part is mine to do with what I wish.
I don’t know what you may be struggling with- maybe there is a sin that you need to let go.
Will you pray with me that God will give us the courage and strength to let it go now and forever- to turn our backs and walk away without a second glance? Even if the temptation comes and we fall- to endure through our will and the power of the Holy Spirit and keep fighting? Doing daily battle against this sin and never accepting its presence in our lives.
What message does that send to my children when I give up? When I rationalize and allow sin to live unmolested in my life and heart?
I make excuses- now my kids are young- I can even tell myself that they don’t see and understand what’s going on.
But someday they will- what then?
We can’t give quarter to sin.
When God nudges us- when His Holy Spirit convicts us- we need to go into battle mode. Kick it out.
The conviction of this sin takes away my peace- it is there between me and God- I feel it.
What do you need to let go of, so that you can cling to Christ?
I am stepping out into the unknown to let this go- and God is waiting there. Maybe I am scared of what He might ask me to do. What else He might call me to give up.
There is a big question mark beyond me in the distance.
It lies there waiting for me to let this go.
Do I trust God enough to let Him be all to me?
Romans 6:21 keeps coming to mind.
So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death.
The road is narrow.
No More Excuses. (help me Lord!)
Oh Lord, you know the sin of which I speak, and the power that it has in my life right now. It started out so small and innocent, like so many sins do- but now it has to go. By the power of your Word and your Holy Spirit- free me from this bondage- that I may joyfully serve you and honor you now and always. Continue to convict me Lord, do not let my spirit rest until I am resting quietly in You. Until you truly become Lord over all- humble me, refine me, test me in your fire. Even in my fear Lord- I come to you. Where else is there for me to go? You have the words of life. I place my life in your hands. Mold and refine me, remove the impurities. Blessed be Your Name. In Jesus Name and in thanksgiving I pray, Amen.
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