Category Archives: Sin

The Secret to Contentment

Are you content? Is your house big enough? Is your work meaningful enough? Are your children good enough? Does your spouse do enough? Do you have enough?

Contentment is an elusive term, and even more of a difficult attitude to cultivate. We can tell ourselves we are content all we want, but deep in our hearts dissatisfaction lurks. We want more.

Search for Satisfaction

To be content is to be satisfied with what one has and not want more or anything else (dictionary.com). Contentment is being thankful for what we have, not always on the lookout for what we don’t. The root of contentment is satisfaction, and when we seek it from the wrong place, we come up empty, dissatisfied, and wanting.

Dissatisfaction is universal, but we Americans are grossly guilty of it. As a culture, we are materialistic, spoiled, and demand the best in all things. “The American Dream” has long represented riches many only dream about. Yet we are still deeply discontent and always looking for the next thing, relationship, or experience to make us happy.

Christians aren’t immune to it either. Dissatisfaction leads us to move from church to church in search of the “perfect” experience. It leads us to gossip about our sisters and brothers to tear them down and build ourselves up. It leads us to jealousy and fake smiles when another receives something we long for. Dissatisfaction leads us to sin.

Paul’s Secret to Contentment

As in all things, Scripture provides us with the tools and knowledge to find and cultivate contentment. In Philippians, Paul thanks the church of Philippi for supporting him financially. However, amid his thanks, he gives us a beautiful nugget on contentment.

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Phil. 4:11-13

Paul didn’t have a cushy life. In fact, much of the American Church would shrink away from the suffering that came with Paul’s obedience to the Lord.

 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers;  in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.

2 Cor. 11:24-28

How could Paul, after enduring all those things, say that he was content and satisfied? His secret to contentment is this:

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.

God isn’t asking us to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and muster up satisfaction all on our own. Like willpower, whatever satisfaction we conjure up for ourselves is fleeting. Popular self-help books tell us to “believe in ourselves” and “you are enough”. Scripture tells us this isn’t true. Only dependence on God and his strength will lead us to contentment in plenty and in need.

Our Ultimate Satisfaction

God offers himself as the key to our ultimate satisfaction and joy. He knew our deepest need, the need for a right relationship with him, and sent his Son Jesus to die on a cross for our sins. He defeated our greatest enemies, sin and death, to give us abundant life in Christ Jesus.

When we follow Jesus, his righteousness is transferred to us. We stand before God pure and clean, and he brings us into a relationship with him as a beloved child. Our greatest need is met in Jesus, therefore no matter what we face in this life, we can be satisfied and content. Our darkest day on earth is the closest we’ll ever get to hell. And not only that, but Paul goes on to say,

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Phil. 4:19-20

God is a good father who loves to give good gifts (Matt. 7:7-11). He will provide for your needs in his perfect time.

Fight for Contentment

The battle for contentment is difficult, but necessary for Christians. How do we fight? Consider these action steps if you’re struggling to capture elusive contentment:

  • Ask God to show you the root of your dissatisfaction.
  • Repent of any sin that is stemming from your dissatisfaction (control, unbelief, impatience, critical spirit, etc).
  • Remember the Gospel and rest in the knowledge that your deepest need has already been met in Jesus.
  • Pray and ask the Lord to give you his strength to find satisfaction and contentment in your current circumstances.
  • Memorize scripture to fight for contentment when your wandering heart tries to return to dissatisfaction.
  • Share with an accountability partner.

God loves you and wants to satisfy your heart-of-hearts in Jesus Christ. Don’t try to find contentment in your things, relationships, or experiences. He knows you. He loves you. He will satisfy you.

The Sneaky Sin of Annoyance

Are you often annoyed? Recently I found myself discontent with my job, and as I dug deeper, I realized that I was working from a place of annoyance. I started my day anticipating annoyance, I became annoyed, then brought my annoyance home with me. 

Annoyance is often swept under the rug as a “little sin”. It’s not in the sin lists in 1 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, and Colossians, so it must not be a big deal, right? Everyone gets annoyed. We’re human. We live in a broken world. It’s part of the deal. 

Yet as followers of Jesus, we must submit every part of our hearts to Christ. 

To annoy is to disturb or bother a person in a way that displeases, troubles, or slightly irritates (dictionary.com). You know the feeling. We stiffen our shoulders, furrow our brows, and bend our mouths in a frown. Our hearts grumble and groan in irritation, even if we manage to govern our body language.

What do we do when that bubble of annoyance rises in response to the day-to-day issues? 

Sin has Roots 

With my job, I was annoyed by the disruption of my schedule and the unpredictability that arose out of it. My annoyance was rooted in pride. I want to be in control, I’m not, so I’m annoyed. 

With behaviors like annoyance, it’s helpful to examine what the reaction is rooted in and where that particular sin is leading. 

Where would my job annoyance lead? I would descend into anger, discontentedness, and harshness towards others as I try to control and order my world according to my desires. 

If you are habitually annoyed about something or someone, take a moment to contemplate not just the source, but what sin your annoyance is rooted in and where it’s leading you. Sin always drags you deeper into the darkness. When you allow “small” sins to flourish, your flesh will take it one, two, or three steps further than you ever intended. 

Kill your Sin 

We must never be content with our pet sins. Christ died for our sins, yet we sometimes we pick and choose which ones we want to crucify and submit to his lordship. 

God wants us to walk in righteousness in all things. We won’t be perfect this side of eternity, but this is a battle we must fight as believers. “Be killing sin or it will be killing you” (John Owen). 

Let’s be honest. “I’m annoyed” is a more acceptable way of saying “I’m mildly angry”. Anger can be righteous (Scripture tells us that both God and Jesus were angry at times), but our anger is rarely righteous. Our anger is most often rooted in pride and selfishness. 

Scripture has a lot to say about anger. Wisdom literature is rife with examples of anger leading to sin and strife (Prov. 14:29, 29:22, Ecc. 7:9). 

Paul instructs is in Ephesians: 

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

Eph. 4:26-27

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Ephesians 4:31

James also speaks to us about anger: 

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

James 1:19-20

Annoyance also leads us to grumbling and complaining. Paul says in Phil. 2:14-15: 

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. 

Recalibrate your Response

When annoyance comes (and it will), consider these practical steps:

  • Take deep breath to calm your body.
  • Think through the sin-root of your annoyance and where it will lead. 
  • Confess sin (unbelief, pride, selfishness, etc). 
  • If you follow Jesus, remember God’s promise that you are forgiven in Christ. If you don’t have a relationship with God through Jesus, check this out.
  • Choose a scripture to memorize and meditate on to set your mind on Christ instead of yourself. 
  • Share with accountability partner(s) for prayer and support. 

Don’t let sneaky sins trip you and tear you down from the joy-filled, righteous life Christ purchased for you on the cross. Walk in freedom. 

Idol Factory

Tophet_Carthage.2
I stepped into a wooded area, flanked by ancient ruins. Sunlight dappled through the trees on the rubble, but I was far from restful. The quiet weighed eerily on me. The dirt path sloped gently downward, as if coaxing me down. At the bottom were several caves carved out of the rocky hillside. Shoebox size stone boxes littered the ground, stacked carelessly. These were the coffins of children sacrificed to an idol.

I stood in the ruins of a temple of Tanit, a Phonecian and Punic goddess of war and fertility, consort of Baal. I knelt beside a small stone box and ran my hand along the edges, heavy with grief. Around 20,000 urns containing the remains of children under the age of two years were deposited between 400 BC and 200 BC, continuing until the early years of Christianity. This idol thirsted for the blood of children.

If you’ve read the Old Testament, you know that God’s people have idol issues. From erecting the golden calf after coming out of Egypt, to habitually worshipping the fertility gods of Baal and Ashtoreth, God’s people turned from the great “I AM” to false gods far too easily and often. It’s no surprise then that this was the first of the ten commandments that God gave Israel:

“You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:2.

Yet humanity consistently shaped and worshipped stone and wood. These were gods they could see, touch, and manipulate. They didn’t want a God to tell them what to do. They wanted gods they could control. In the end, they themselves were their own god.

Sound familiar?

We are all idolators

If you asked me if I worshipped idols, I’d respond with an emphatic “No!”. However, if you could see my heart like God does, you’d discover that my heart itself is an idol factory. I can even make good things an idol. Food? Yep! Feelings. Check! Body image. Umhm. The list goes on. Jeremiah explains why:

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9

What does 21st century idolatry look like? Paul has the answer.

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. Colossians 3:5-6

For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Ephesians 5:5

Idolatry is covetousness (Col. 3:5), yearning to possess something. Anything that we desire, love, or enjoy more than God is an idol. Like all sin, it is not something to be made light of. The penalty is the wrath of a perfectly holy and just God…eventually in the form of eternal torment in the lake of fire (Rev. 21:8). Like the desperate, deceived men and women who sacrificed their children to Tanit, idolatry is a way that leads to death (Prov. 14:12).

What are your desires? What do you yearn for? Where does your mind go when you’re stressed out for relief? What are you willing to spend your precious time and money on?

Take a moment to pray and ask God to reveal idols in your heart, or things that could possibly become idols. We must remain vigilant, sisters! When I was single, I desired to be married, but God hadn’t provided a husband. Every time someone said “You’re next!” or “You’ll be such a good wife” the Holy Spirit nudged my heart to remind me to put my hope in God, not marriage. If there’s something like this in your heart, share it with your accountability partner(s) so they can spur you on and help guard you against your own wayward heart.

Diagnose your yearning

When you look at your desires, do some diagnostics.

  • Don’t trust your heart (see Jeremiah 17:9).  While self-reflection has its place, don’t land there. Our hearts are hard-wired to rationalize and justify our desires, not to pursue God.
  • Scour the Word. Read to understand what God has to say about your desire. It may be a sinful desire (adultery, revenge, impurity, etc). Repent, confess, and turn! It may be a good desire (marriage, children, ministry opportunity, etc) that God is waiting to give you, or may never give you. Obtaining a good desire in the wrong way is also idolatry (adultery, impurity, etc). Ask God to search your heart, try your thoughts, and lead you in the way that is everlasting (Ps. 139:23-24).
  • Confess and take heart. Over and over in the Old Testament God forgave his faithless people and kept his covenant with them. We walk under a new covenant, one paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection frees you from slavery from sin and idols of the the world and your heart. Submit your desires to him and ask him to transform them into his.

God is truly worthy of being our greatest and strongest desire! When we find our value, identity, and hope in him, he will overwhelm all our earthly desires. In the words of the old hymn,

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.”

Turn your Eyes upon Jesus – Helen H. Lemmel

Resources:

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/discerning-idolatry-in-desire

Death Sentence

Sheep

I’d thought I was no stranger to death, but as they pinned a struggling, full grown sheep down on the tiles in the courtyard, my stomach turned. I’d barely finished my first week in North Africa when Eld Al Adha, the Holiday of Sacrifice came. Muslims around the country were killing and butchering sheep to commemorate the test of Abraham’s faith when he was commanded to sacrifice his son. I’d grown up on a hobby farm and learned early on that animals were a utility and not pets. We’d slaughtered chickens and turkeys, we sent our sheep to the butcher to meet their demise. But this…

The wooly creature let out a weak cry as the man of the house took small knife, deadly sharp, and uttered a blessing in Arabic. I still cringe as I remember the sound it made, slicing through the jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe. The sheep struggled briefly, gave one last gurgling cry, then lay silent. Dead.

Death is ugly. It’s dark. You may have met death second hand as it took a loved one, or as it threatened you with disease or an accident. No matter where we find it, it’s abhorrent, and rightly so. Death came as a result of sin and the Fall. However Paul uses the analogy of death to help us understand what to do with our native, wretched flesh. Two words. Kill. It.

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, Romans 8:12

Have you ever been in debt (or are currently)? Remember making all the payments, shackled to the debt until it’s paid in full? Apart from Christ we are under the same slavery to our sin. But my sweet sisters take heart! We are no longer debtors to the flesh. God paid our debts and freed us from the shackles to sin. We are no longer are slaves, but beloved daughters of the King! Praise God!

If we live by the flesh…giving into our sinful thoughts, desires, and actions, we will die. But God doesn’t just give a death sentence. He gives us the means to overcome the flesh.

but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Romans 8:13

What powerful, sweet words! God gives us the exact blueprint to we need to kill our sin.

  • “If” This is conditional. You have a choice, a part to play. It won’t happen by itself. It requires action!
  • “by the Spirit” What weapon does God put in our hands? The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:17)! We can’t kill our sin on our own. By the Spirit is the only way we can put to death our flesh. Trying harder and doing more won’t cut it.
  • “put to death the deeds of the body” There’s a reason Paul uses such vivid language. Execution is brutal. It’s fatal, and our flesh is fighting tooth and nail to stay alive. Go to radical lengths to kill your sin! Do whatever it takes to walk in the light.
  • “you will live” Ah! Sweet promise! Like a rush of fresh air amid the carnage of battle. You will live. Jesus said he came so that we’d have abundant life (John 10:10). As his Spirit works to put to death our flesh, he gives us abundant life to live right now, with freedom and joy as we run our race (Heb. 12:1).

Sister, are you harboring a secret sin? If you, through the power of the Spirit don’t kill it, it will kill you. Don’t listen to the lies of the tempter, the hiss of rationalization and pride. Don’t hide away your sin in the dark places of your heart. Shine the light of the gospel on it! Confess it, repent and turn from it, then seek out a sister for accountability. Don’t continue to live according to the flesh. Step into the light! Romans 8:1 is a beautiful promise for messed up people like us. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Amen!

There is a delicate tension between the two ideas that we must actively strive to put our sin to death, and only the Holy Spirit has the power to actually kill our flesh. In Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, a beautiful analogy is given.

CHRISTIAN: Here is a poor burdened sinner who comes from the City of Destruction. But more importantly, I am going to Mount Zion [the Celestial City], so that I may be delivered from the wrath to come. Therefore sir, since I have been informed that the way to my destination is through this Gate, I would like to know if you are willing to let me enter.

GOOD-WILL: I am willing with all my heart. (And at that he immediately opened the Gate.)

Now as Christian was stepping through the Gate, he was quite surprised when suddenly, Good-will pulled him through.

Christian, the pilgrim on his journey to the Celestial City, is passing through the narrow gate, the moment of his salvation. He steps through willingly, but he doesn’t come in on his own strength. He is pulled through by the gatekeeper, Good Will, portraying Jesus Christ. What a beautiful picture of the balance between God’s sovereign power and our own feeble work. We must desire and strive to kill our sin to attain holiness at any cost. Yet, it is only the power of God that pulls us through and accomplishes it. Only God gets the glory from such a transaction, which is precisely his aim in creating us!