Sin is a funny thing

Here's the deal. I've been realizing in my old age that sin is a tricky thing. The bible talks about how it ensnares you and how you can sear your conscience, and this is what I've realized; it's even worse than that. It starts small. You sin once. You feel guilty. You don't do it for awhile. You start to think about it again. You do it again thinking 'one more time ain't the end of the world'. You don't feel quite as guilty. You do it again, maybe even harder, deeper, more intentionally than last time. You don't feel guilty now. You get excited thinking of the rush of doing it again. You do it again. You get caught. You defend yourself. You think you're justified. You don't think it's wrong. You're so deep now that you can't see the forrest thru the trees. Game Over. Insert two more quarters to continue.

It's really scary because now you start to think other people are prudes, are judgmental, whatever, when they try to point it out to you. At this point, short of the Holy Spirit moving in you, you'll never think you have wronged someone, sinned against The Father.

Enter the plug for accountability. If you have someone in your life who you actually listen to, not just hear, but listen to, then listen to them when they point out issues in your life. If you don't have someone like this - find that someone.

Thank God for Grace. And Second chances. And Third chances. If it wasn't for the cross there would be no do-overs.