Time Wasted In Sin

For a very long time, my motivation to not sin was because I didn't want to be imperfect. I reasoned that Christians should be Christlike, and Christ was perfect, so I should be perfect, so I can't sin. While this looks noble at a first glance, a deeper look reveals a very messed up thought process. First, I can't be perfect. As much as I want to be like Christ, I'll never be perfect. No one can be perfect. Jesus never asked us to be perfect; just to believe, follow, and obey Him. Second, this is completely the wrong reason to not sin.

When someone has a problem with a sin, say, like a girl who constantly throws up to keep the weight off, or like a guy who has sex with a different girl each weekend just to satisfy his desires, those are lifestyles of sin. When we continuously sin the same way, we bear a burden. It's like strapping a boulder to your back. We think self-critical thoughts like, I'll never change. I'm a failure. How could God ever love me? Are we really doing anyone any good living like that?

My biggest struggle has always been lust; sexual temptation. But I stay away from romance to keep sin at bay. Just like a recovering alcoholic won't walk into a bar, a recovering lust addict won't make out with girls or date them. I'm choosing to purify my mind and my heart and my desires because I'm tired of walking around with a weight on my back. I'm tired of those belittling thoughts. I'm tired of letting sin control me. I'm tired of feeling dirty in God's presence, so I stay away from God. When I try to perfect myself, that never works, so I usually just give up and keep on sinning.

My motivation now comes from a desire to help others. God's called me to be a spiritual leader, and I want to be an effective soldier in God's army. I want to serve my friends and show them Christ. I want to be a bright light shinning His glory. And I can't do that when I'm living for sin. It's hard to give the proper amount of time and focus to God when sin is consuming me. So I've decided to love for those sinful things anymore. I don't want to be interested in something that distracts me from the glory of God.

I barely have enough time to blog anymore, and I don't have enough time to read Scripture as much as I want to, and it's so hard to find time to meet with friends for a Bible study. So why waste such precious time sinning? There's no benefit in it! It's pointless and harmful! I'm going to use my time to serve Him. As I said earlier, I can't serve God with my best when my mind is on other things. In order to truly serve Him and others the best that I can, I have to be totally devoted to the Cause.

Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love God will all our heart, mind, and strength, and to love others as He loved us. In order to follow His commands, I don't want to waste my time in sin.