Faith is Sin’s Enemy

Today’s reading: Colossians 1:15-23

Sin is an interesting foe. It has a way of sneaking back into my life even while I’m busy declaring its defeat.

Today’s reading reminds me of a specific sinful habit that has been a part of my life for decades. (Sorry. My naming this habit would appeal to only prurient interests, and that would only encourage more sin in the world. So, dear reader, please try to keep your curiosity from killing you. You can rest assured that this habit is probably shared by billions of other human, so it’s not really all that interesting anyway. It is sinful, nevertheless.)

I have promised God hundreds of times to end this habit, and on several occasions I have stayed true to my vow for months.

But, so far, sin has always been the patient winner. I have often thanked God for the strength to resist temptation  — a few times even praising Him for my permanent  cure — and then turned promptly to the sin a few minutes later.

I am now in about the 4th week of my latest vow, and, just last night, I felt a very strong call from my habit. My spirit was weak and ripe for a fall after a busy, stressful day. But I remembered to ask God for an extra dose of strength and peace, and He came through nicely.

Though I remember thinking this as I drifted off  last night:  “Tomorrow is going to be another long, stressful day. I’ll probably cave.”

What a way to fall asleep!

But God is good and always watching out for me. He woke me much earlier than I had planned this morning, and, before I could protest, I was wide awake in front of this computer pondering today’s reading:

“And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,
he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him– provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel …” (Verses 22-23)

That last part is what hit me strongest, so I want to type it again. “… provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in faith …”

I have often justified a return to my sin (in otherwords, a broken vow) by remembering that God will always forgive me. The scripture I just typed reminds me that I must not rest on that laurel.

Yes, God will forgive me for this sin (or any other), but when I choose take advantage of his Grace and return to myhabit anyway, I am disconnecting myself from the glory of the universe. And why would I want to do that?

Armed with this refresher, I am confident I will not cave tonight. World, bring on your stress today! Sin will simply not win this time!

Thanks be to God for eternal protection from sin. May I always remember to apply it.