How does continuous sin affect our lives? More often than not, we let it defeat us, or we grow callous to it. Can that defeat serve a good purpose if we allow it to do so?
All of us have fought to overcome a nasty habit we acknowledge does not honor God. Connie acknowledged in her prayer journals that she had struggled with eating for decades. In her mind, it was keeping her from the joyful victory of overcoming.
I have struggled with my memory since high school days. I remember many times when I locked up the shop I worked at, only to get halfway home and couldn’t remember if I had locked the front door before I left. Believe it or not, it kept me humble! I am also humbled every time I am unable to remember someone’s name when I see them. I’ve repeatedly prayed for deliverance, but for reasons beyond me, God didn’t deliver or heal me. It’s been like Paul’s thorn in the flesh.
Others have struggled with unhealthy habits like smoking and the like. Despite many prayers and the practice of spiritual discipline, the habit persisted, and they lived with defeat.
Why does God let us struggle so much with what feels like a sin to us? Could it be that God is more concerned about something else in our life than that certain sin—like our pride? Interestingly, humility is like a backbone to having sufficient trust in God. We can only see our unique ‘sin’ while He sees the result His deliverance would have in our lives. Would we bring God more glory if we were free from our sin but full of self-righteous pride? While striving for holiness, we must not underestimate the value of humility. Is it possible our confidence and freedom would release in us the attitude of the self-righteous man who thanked God he wasn’t as bad as that wretched publican. (Luke 18:10-14) I’m not certain we understand how God sees pride. He hates it.
Could it be that God looks more at our heart’s desire to desperately want to be free than at our unholy habits? That habit has a unique way of keeping us humble. Did you know God patiently bears with us to become more like His Son? Can we not patiently bear with a thorn in the flesh or an unrighteous habit that keeps us humble in His eyes?
We all have imperfections of various sorts. I have more than I can even imagine. They seem to be new every morning, just as God’s mercies are new every morning. Which imperfection is He going to bring His judgement down on me for doing? I dare say we are far more concerned with our imperfections than we are in passionately seeking to develop a heart more like Jesus had while a human walking on this earth. It is like we are more concerned with the outside of the cup than the inside. (Matthew 23:25-26). We then have contempt for those whose cup on the outside is grubbier than ours. No wonder Jesus told us not to judge lest we be judged. (Matthew 7:1-2)
François Fénelon, a Christian spiritual advisor in the 1600s, concluded, “Bear with your involuntary frailties as God bears, wait patiently for His appointed time of complete deliverance, and meanwhile go on quietly and according to your strength in the path before you without looking back; sorrowing over [your sins] with humility but putting them aside to press onwards… towards a Father who loves you.”
Amen! I can certainly relate to that!