Breakthrough

Some people (myself very much included) have struggled with the problem of being the cause of our own downfall. As I said before, I am the cause of my own problems. Ultimately, whether it is because of my weakness or because I am imperfect (Romans 3:23), I cause my own problems when I try to deal with sin.

That's because the choice is mine to make. When I am tempted, I struggle between what I want to do and what I do not want to do (Romans 7:21-25). Many times, I have decided to give in just a little. It's almost like turning a pressure valve, hoping that I can control it enough to "blow off steam" and then shut the valve again. It never turns out that way...

What starts out as a little "Oh, this small thing won't hurt in the long run" turns into a downward spiral into sin. That "small thing" is usually something that leads to another thing, and then another, until I find myself doing the very big thing that I was consciously trying to avoid in the beginning. Recently, I've learned when and where that "small thing" pops up in my mind. I've learned to avoid that because I know it triggers the full-blown sin. (Imagine how life could change if God let each of us see all of our own sin-triggers!)

These are things that I've "learned" since returning home--but I do not know where and when they happened! It is a mystery that still puzzles me now because I find myself getting more strength from being weak (2 Corinthians 11:30), instead of shattering into pieces when I think I am strong.

Stay tuned for more...