Devotionals

Cast it Away

Sin isn't just in our nature, it's all around us. In the media, on television, at school/work, billboards, etc. The things that we see, and the people that we hang around with, all influence us, whether for good or for bad.

For instance, a HotPocket commercial from a few years ago in the U.S. featured a half-dressed woman in a fire station (if I remember correctly), talking about how "hot" HotPockets are. What promotion of lustful culture, right? Not to mention the objectification of women, but that's a story for another day.

It's so easy to fall into sin because we're surrounded by it, and even easier to convince ourselves that it's okay because everyone else says that it's okay.

But, what does God say?

We know what sins are. They're actions, sometimes thoughts, words, etc. that drive us farther away from God and hurt our relationship with him.

Being surrounded by sin, most people find themselves filled with it. The purpose of believing in God, though, is to be different from "most people," being as sin free as possible.

It's important to mention that no human, except for Jesus Christ, is or was sin free. Romans 3:23 (NKJV) says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." This is NOT an excuse to sin! Just because all have fallen short doesn't mean that we keep deliberately living that way!

So, how do we stop living sinful lives?

Jesus talks about this very subject in Mark 9:43 (ESV).

43. "And, if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire."

In later verses, Jesus says the same about your feet and your eyes in verses 45 and 47 later in the chapter.

I don't think that Jesus was talking about literally gouging your eyes out and chopping off limbs, mostly because he spoke in parables to the people, though he was speaking to John in this passage of scripture. (Mark 13:34 (NKJV) says, "All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable he did not speak to them.")

For those of you who don't know, a parable is a story with a deeper meaning attached to it. Using the scripture from Mark 9 from before, we can apply what Jesus said about our limbs and eyes to other parts of our lives.

If seeing a bad movie (your eyes) causes you to have bad thoughts (be it lustful, suicidal, or fantasizing in awful ways about the characters), stop watching it.

If going to a friends house (your feet) causes you to stumble into doing things that you know you shouldn't be doing, stop going there.

If getting on your phone in the middle of the night (your hands) causes you to stumble into sin, stop doing it.

CAST IT AWAY.

Find some precautions that work for you. If you get on your phone in the middle of the night, sleep with your phone across the room instead of by your bed. If you have a bunch of movies that cause you to fall into sin, give them away or throw them in the trash.

I know it's hard to follow through with precautions. I find it hard, and I'm sure others do too. For some, it's easy, and if it's easy for you, great! If not, practice baby steps. Change your regular routine a little at the time instead of rushing it. It's easier to stick to that way!

Ask God to help you to recognize sinful thoughts as they come to mind, because it's the thoughts that lead to actions, which often lead to regret when it comes to sin.

SUMMARY

If anything in your life is causing you to stumble into sin, cast it away. Don't mind what others think of you or what you're surrounded with in this world. It's hard, but Jesus told us that "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23 NKJV).

Whether it's a friend who is a bad influence, an app on your phone, any other type of media (TV, books, movies, etc.), cast it away if it causes you to sin.

I know it's hard, but you, dear reader, are as much of a part of Flourish Ministries as we are! You have a community prepared to help you in any way that we can.

We love you, and God bless you!

-NB