One of the recent conversations I have had involved a sin someone was struggling with. Their life is very good but they have allowed dissatisfaction to grow in one area of their life and although they didn’t say this I could tell they fear this sin growing into something that will destroy their life. I could also tell by their eyes that they remember a time before Christ when they were free to sin without the cares that they now have.
This is not a unique feeling as the elect often remember this time of sin with fondness – the draw from the world is strong. We look at it as the cake we don’t get to have when the truth is Christ offers us something so much more than cake. We forget what Christ gives us and believe the lie that without whatever sin we desire, life is not complete.
I shared one of my own struggles but it was not really a solution. I was not even sure why I shared the story I shared until the next day when I was directed to James 4:3.
James 4:3 – you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, so you can spend it on your passions.
I ask wrongly. My desire for a spouse is strong and not all bad. God designed us this way and I tell God I just want someone to confide in, have conversations with, and love. You see I believe the lie that my life is not complete unless I am fulfilling that role as a husband. My life is not complete unless I have someone to talk to, confide in, and love. Yet Jesus is the ultimate husband for me (yes that sounds strange but we are the bride so that makes Him the husband). He is there to confide in and the love He gives is perfect.
So I have to guard my heart and mind against this idol. If God does provide a wife for me then I have to be able to glorify God through my role as husband instead of allowing it to replace Him as god. And I pray He is preparing me for just such a role but even if He is not I will continue to glorify Him with my life anyway. I know His ways are better than mine.
Now to try to write the original post I began on Romans 14:17…