Who Me? Sin?

How is your sin life? What sin may I pray that you will be able to overcome? Are you struggling with a particular sin?

I distinctly remember about ten years ago when a Christian friend asked me about my sin life using a question similar to the ones above. After a moment’s thought as I mentally ran through the Ten Commandments, I told her that I thought I did not have any serious sin issues. She politely said if I ever needed her to pray for me that she would be glad to do so. Over the past twelve months, that incident has popped into my consciousness many times. God is using it to convict me of my tendency to rationalize my sinful behaviors.

At that time I thought if I was not worshipping some graven image, I went to church on Sunday, I was not committing adultery, and I had not stolen anything that I was doing very well in the area of not sinning. After all, I am a good person.

Poppycock. Pure hogwash. I cannot believe I thought that way. I have been a Christian most of my life. But just because I had saving faith and had been saved for years did not mean I was a mature believer. I was not. I had not been studying the Bible. I had been only spending minimal time in prayer. I had been attending church somewhat regularly—well at least for a few months. Let’s face it, I was a sorry excuse for a Christian. Sadly I did not recognize my rebellion against God. For that is what sin is. It is a willful and rebellious desire to place wants, ideas, and activities ahead of anything done with or for God. I was a rebellious Christian.

“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” Isaiah 59:2 NIV

Even though I was living a good life which was marginally devoted to God, I expected God to answer any prayer I did make, and I expected the answer to be what I wanted it to be. How arrogant! Did I really think I knew better than God what was best for me and what would bring him the most glory?

I am beginning to truly understand how enslaved to sin I was and am. I challenge you to write down your sins for just one day-- every time you think a selfish thought, say an inappropriate word (e.g. curse, unkind, bragging), don’t do a kind act because it is inconvenient, refuse to forgive someone, fail to seek God’s will before you delve into an activity, etc. I tried writing down my sins once. It didn’t take me long to stop because the list became lengthy. The realization that even a good person like me can be extremely sinful became a reality in my mind.

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” John 15:7 NIV

So if I want God to honor my prayers, I must remain in him—pray, study Scriptures, place God before myself, serve others. If I remain close to God, my desires will become more closely matched to his desires and he will grant them. In other words, my proclivity to sin will be diminished when I place God first in my life.

Lord, show me my sins then through the power of the Holy Spirit make me victorious over them.