Sin

I recently finished a BSF Bible study on the life of Moses. The study was great, and I learned a lot about the characteristics of God. It has been great for me to be able to cling to the truths that God provides and that he is merciful. Another principle that has caused a lot of thought for me the past month and half is the idea of how much sin effects others. For instance, with the Israelites, there was one man that sinned and his whole family was killed because of it. Or the 10 spies’ lack of faith about the taking the land God gave them. It caused the rest of the nation of Israel to not believe. Or in another instance the earth opened up and swallowed up a whole group of people and their families because of their sins. This afternoon I watched a movie called Changling. I highly recommend it. The events in the story again got me thinking of how sin effects others. In the movie there is a man that is so prideful that he sends an innocent woman to a psych hospital- causing her great emotional pain- to save himself from embarrassment. He allows the murder of many innocent lives so he doesn’t have to admit he is wrong. His actions effected lives of many families. The movie is so sad. All this to say that I’ve been thinking of my own sin in my life. I am one selfish creature. When you break it down, I like things my way and for people to think my way. The arguments and hurt that I cause people are usually due to the fact I want my way. Or I don’t like that someone disagrees with me. I want to do things my way. I can be pretty stubborn. And this, unfortunately, causes a lot of problems.  My sin has caused me not to have the best relationships with my co-workers. It has caused less patience and little tolerance for each other. It has caused my students to not get the best instruction on certain topics. I want to do things my way. I didn’t want to take the time to plan certain lessons, but use time doing things for me.  It has caused brokenness in relationships. My pride and stubbornness has caused little communication about problems between friends and family. Things easily fixed if I just gave up my selfish desires and pride. And… it has caused me to lose possibly the love of my life- none of these things I ever wanted to happen.

(Sigh…) What a downer right? Well, what is great it that I don’t have to live in this sin. God has made a way for me to live differently. I am so glad I have a Savior who forgives me, and who is guiding me to live a selfless life. Praise Him for revealing how our sins effect us and the people we love. Praise Him for restoring my soul and leading my in truth.

I love the honesty of Paul when he writes Philippians 3.

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Paul is not perfect, and that is ok. He is not going to dwell on the wrong things that he has done in the past. The people he has hurt. He gives these things to the Lord, and lets Him work with them.

Lord, continue to perfect the work that you have started in my life. Help me to focus on You, and not dwell on the past. Guide me in Your ways.