Time to Reflect

Can you recall the emotions you experienced when you fell in love, whether it was love for a new spouse, child, house, or even vehicle? Can you articulate that sentiment?

Can you remember when the newness started to wear off? Can you pinpoint the instant when your love for that person or possession began to fade and your eyes were opened to the flaws?

Just as you felt that excitement of falling in love with your new spouse or loving your new home, do you recall the moment you became captivated with the One who fully captured your heart? Can you remember when you were so sick of your sin and, tired of living life without purpose, you surrendered to the Holy Spirit’s pull on your soul? You repented and relinquished all to Him and then you became consumed with being in the presence of the lover of your soul! You would wake up with a smile on your face, knowing that the grace He offered was new every morning. You couldn’t wait to be in the house of the Lord with fellow believers, to gain encouragement and share life.

Can you remember when you grew weary? Can you identify the day you decided to go back to your old way of living, doing things you originally abandoned because they didn’t bring you peace of mind? You got sucked back into indulgent sins, not realizing they would ultimately take you further than you had planned to go and make you pay more than you ever imagined. Before long, you found yourself stuck and making excuses, even using scripture to justify your sin, all the while losing sight of the great love you initially felt when you gave your life to Christ.

Sometimes, we don’t remember when it happened because it was a slow process. You gave your all to God, your marriage, children. But somehow, you lost your love for God because you became consumed with your life and your wealth, putting the most important things on the back burner. Your trust in God was exchanged for trust in yourself and your intellect, and you began to abuse the grace that was granted. It never happens overnight, it’s a process. We live in a fallen world and, because of that, sin will forever be present. However, if we lose focus on what is in front of us, we will go down a dangerous path.

No matter how far we go, the feeling of His overwhelming love is still within reach. If you will repent and simply turn away, you can receive the forgiveness you never thought you’d experience again. Allow laughter, peace and sweet communion to take its rightful place.

Stop abusing grace because there are consequences. You will suffer loss. You can lose your marriage, your family will become distant, you will be consumed by your abilities and lose sight of the important things. Don’t let the hand of God’s mercy be removed. Stop flirting with sin because it will lead to death.

This was hard for me to write but it’s a word from God to all of us. If we are walking in “self,” we will become easy prey for the enemy. When we abuse the grace that is on our lives, it can lead to self-destruction, destroy relationships, and much more. Stop flirting with sin. If you’re not clear on what it is, sin is any action, feeling, or thought that goes against God’s standards. It includes breaking God’s laws by doing what is wrong or unrighteous.

Falling into sin is a process, it’s gradual. Just be mindful.

Let’s return to our first love.