30 Days to Understanding the Bible – Sin – Yuck!
Sin. It’s an ugly word. The word doesn’t exactly paint pictures of beautiful flowers or bring to mind precious moments and memories with loved ones and friends. For me, sin does the opposite.
It reminds me of the many failures in life – those moments where I knew I made the wrong choice once I followed through with my intent to take specific actions. Many times, those choices were painful and long-lasting. The cost was evident, and the reward was meaningless.
Many don’t know what the word “sin” means when I talk to folks. Or they don’t think what they are doing classifies as sin. I remember the days I didn’t know what sin was. I remember doing things that displeased God. And I remember I didn’t feel bad about doing them either. I learned the hard way about my sin and what displeased the Lord. I have repented for all those old choices I now know displeased God. As new memories come to mind, I ask God to forgive me for those choices as well. I could continue to claim “I didn’t know any better back then”, and that would be easier, but I know now, and I want a clean slate. Acknowledging them now also helps me stay accountable today.
Today is no different for many. Mention the word sin, and you are accused of being judgmental, blind, or a killjoy. God has been accused of taking all the fun away, a dictator of unrealistic rules and boundaries.
Lessons
I have learned over the years that my sin was hurtful to me as much as it was to God. My sin was not beneficial. Oh, sure, it may have felt that way in the short term, but in the long term, I could see the effects and the results of those choices that had come home to roost. I realized that my ways were not better than God’s ways, and I learned that God does know best when it comes to my life.
My regret? It took me too long to come to that realization, and I wasted many years and suffered a lot of pain. If only I could rewind. But then again, I learned some valuable lessons that can be passed on to others as a warning of what to avoid.
Today, let’s talk about what stinks – sin.
Blessings,
Blessings,
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