This post is a part of the Stay at Home Chronicles series.
Yes, you’ve stumbled and fallen. Yes, you’ve veered off the pathway you were on. Yes, you’ve said “this is the last time” and it most definitely was not your last time. Can you reverse everything? No, the answer is No you cannot. Now what?
Before I decided to live out my Christian life the way God intended, I had a motto I used every time I was wronged: two wrongs don’t make it right, but it sure does make us even.
Did I know I was sinning against God? Yes, yes I did. I could not wait for God to repay what had been done to me because half of the time it was mess I created, a direct result of my disobedience to Him. The other half of the time it was my rationale talking: I needed immediate, on-the-spot vindication, not months nor years later vindication. So, I vindicated myself; I believed that it would take God forever before He would prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies and give me beauty for my ashes.
The hardest part of living the Christian life is denying ourselves and doing things God’s way day in and day out.
All of us have a strong-willed flesh that knows what it likes and knows what it wants—gratification. Sinning chisels away at the voice of the Holy Spirit which is continuously telling us to steer clearly away from sin. The enemy gets his foothold in Christians’ lives whenever we yield to our flesh as we find ourselves walk in deeper and deeper in sin. We may even justify our sinful words, actions, and deeds by rating it on a scale of 0-100 and sprinkling a prayer of God forgive me over it.
Why do we lean towards what’s not good for us? Sin knows no bounds–it’s enticing yet satisfying. God’s way is safe and filled with protective boundaries.
Shortly after I gave complete control of my life to God, I encountered a person who said something to me that was insulting. I opened my mouth to unleash my response when the Holy Spirit said: do not say anything, be quiet. I was livid(insert look of complete disgust)! The Spirit of God repeated to me yet again, be quiet. I inwardly prayed: okay God, I’m not going to say anything, but I want you to know I am not happy about this and I am mad. God knows that in order to keep us from sinning, He must give us instructions to ensure we don’t; either we choose to listen to the Holy Spirit and please God or yield to the flesh, sin, and please the enemy.
Choosing to live a lifestyle of freedom instead of a life bound to the flesh will always come with pushbacks from some who have not changed.
There are those who knew what we used to be like and our change irritates them, therefore, they are not going to rejoice with our newfound way of life.
Not too long ago, I was asked a hypothetical question and after I gave my response the person angrily looked at me and told me that I wasn’t that holy. Instead of getting angry, I let that person know that I have experienced and am still experiencing consequences in my life due to my disobedience to God. I further explained that there are some people who have been corrected by God and have learned from their correction and there are some who don’t, but I’ve learned!
People’s opinions of us can no longer be the deciding factor for remaining enslaved to our flesh and sinful practices. At the end of the day, we are held accountable for the decisions and choices we make throughout our lifetime. God created us individually, which is why He will always deal with us on an individual basis.
If God were to give us a view of every blessing we forfeited because we chose to sin, myself along with many others would cry from sheer disappointment. One thing I’m certain of is this: it is never too late to change from our old ways and live for God.
God’s ways come with a lifelong relationship with Him and blessings exceedingly abundantly above all we can ever ask or imagine. Yielding to our flesh comes with short-term gratification and consequences greater than we expected.
