Sin
I’ve been fighting a certain sin in my life lately—lasciviousness. I gain some victory over lust for a while, and then I make a mistake. When I sin, there is a part of me filled with so much conviction that I begin to question my salvation, wonder if God really loves me, and wonder if He will forgive me this time.
The shame I feel is so intense that I even begin to think God doesn’t care much about me. Sin can break fellowship with God, especially grievous sin. I hate the distance I feel from God when sin is in my life. It’s almost as if the Holy Spirit is suppressed while I am engaged in sin and disobedience.
God won’t hear you
Psalms 66:18
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me
Isaiah 59:1-2
Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your inquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Proverbs 28:9
He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
For me, it’s so important to get right with God because He won’t hear my prayers while I’m engaged in a sinful lifestyle. Not only does this hold me back, but it also holds me back from interceding for others in prayer. I want God on my side, hearing my prayers for myself and others. To think my prayers for family members’ salvation won’t be heard really breaks my heart. I pray for a lot of people going through cancer battles as well, and to think God won’t hear those prayers gives me a sense of urgency to get right with the Lord. I also need strength from the Lord to battle temptations and sinful thoughts.
Repent
Thank God that He made a way to get right with Him! I’ve been taught to repent right away after I sin. Repenting means to turn around or to turn the other way. It is a change of mind. We must listen to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and turn away from whatever sin is besetting us.
When I first got saved, there were acts and behaviors I engaged in that I didn’t know were sin. For example, “wicked imaginations.” The Holy Spirit revealed to me through Scripture that they were wrong.
Proverbs 6:18
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief
Once I knew this was a sinful behavior, I could recognize it and would immediately repent and change my thinking in that moment. This process was hard at first, but the more I practiced repenting, the easier it became. Now, a couple of years later, I can say that I don’t really deal with that sin in my life anymore.
Revelation 3:19-20
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
God is always waiting for us to get right. Don’t let shame or embarrassment stand in between you and God. Let us put away our sin and call out to God for forgiveness.
We should be feeding the Spirit and living in fellowship with the Lord, but we all get off track once in awhile. Thank God He is there to welcome us back with open arms.
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