Should We Get Better at Sinning?

Dear reader, 

It seems my letters really seem to fluctuate like the wind and the weather. 

Someday I’m loving life, walking closely with Christ, and living out the great commission in every way I can. 

Then there are other days when I do everything but what I am supposed to do. 

Last week on Monday I somehow acquired some pretty good poison ivy. I didn’t notice it, it didn’t bother me, I kept my mind and body busy elsewhere. but then Thursday came around and it was evident I needed to take care of it. 

I put some medicinal ointment on it and did everything in my power to not touch it and even distract myself from the ickiness going on all over my legs. Thursday came and went and everything seemed fine. Then Friday came around, I forgot to put ointment on before I left for work, so by the time work had ended my legs were incredibly itchy. 

So I itched it here and there on the way home. Not too much, just enough for some level of relief. Friday night I placed more ointment on it and didn’t touch it, I thought I was in the clear as it was definitely diminishing in size. 

Saturday is when our story takes a turn for the worse. 

I don’t know why. I cannot give you a valid excuse for my thought process and the actions that followed. 

I placed my ointment on as soon as I could in the morning, yet throughout the entire day I itched and scratched at myself, making everything so much worse than it needed to be. 

The irritation grew. 

My anger grew. 

My problem grew. 

I continued to do the one thing I shouldn’t.

Scratch.

This story has some incredible similarities with sin. Let me switch up some words and see if you understand what I mean. 

Ahem…

Last week on Monday I somehow acquired some pretty good sinful temptations I didn’t notice it, it didn’t seem to bother me, I kept my mind and body busy elsewhere. but then Thursday came around and it was evident I needed to take care of it. 

I put some spiritual armor on and did everything in my power to not act on it and even distract myself from the ickiness going on all over my mind and desires. Thursday came and went and everything seemed fine. Then Friday came around, I forgot to put My Armor on before I left for work, so by the time work had ended my thoughts were incredibly itchy. 

So I itched it here and there on the way home in my thoughts. Not too much, just enough for some level of relief. (As if that’s how it actually worked) Friday night I killed the thoughts by the power of the Holy Spirit and didn’t desire it, I thought I was in the clear as it was definitely diminishing in size. 

Saturday is when our story takes a turn for the worse. 

I don’t know why. I cannot give you a valid excuse for my thought process and the actions that followed. 

I went before God as soon as I could in the morning, yet throughout the entire day my thoughts and desires were far from where they should have been. Making everything so much worse than it needed to be. 

The desire grew. 

My anger grew. 

My problem grew.

I continued to do the one thing I shouldn’t.

Sin.  

Now. I share this with you because I have come to understand my constant state of imperfection. I am a recovering perfectionist, who is doing his best to allow God by his grace and Spirit to do the miraculous work He desires to do within me. 

I still have the poison ivy. 

I still have a sinful nature. 

Neither are going anywhere anytime soon due to my actions and my current residence in this life. (Hopefully, the poison ivy won’t be sticking around very long.) But I do believe I went through this for the very point of being able to share this with you. 

You are human. 

You will choose to sin and scratch at what you shouldn’t. 

God does not hate you for doing so. 

He doesn’t enjoy it by any means when we sin against Him. 

His loving and just character will discipline us when we do willfully choose wrong over right. 

But what I want to stress is He does not expect perfection from his (now) imperfect creation. 

We are His children, His Runaway Bride, His chosen people. 

He knew what He was getting into when He died on the cross for us. 

Our sin does not shock or surprise God. 

But. His love and grace should motivate us to honor Him with everything we can do. To come back to His arms and embrace Him when we do scratch. When we look and desire what He hasn’t given to us. 

He’s given us His Spirit to lead and guide us in every decision we can make in this life. 

We don’t need to scratch. 

We don’t need to sin. 

It’s always a choice, I want to choose rightly, but the constant battle with our flesh and sinful nature will always be extremely difficult. You must put on the armor that God gives us, and we must be abiding in His love and presence at all times. 

Sin can’t be in God’s presence. 

So always choose to be there. 

Sin cannot follow you. 

Sincerely your Fellow Excellent Sinner, 

-Mitchell