Sin would be easy to resist if it wasn’t something we wanted to do. But we fall into various temptations because it’s appealing to our very own desires.
Yet in seeing the harm and pain our sin has caused, our deep sorrow motivates us to change.
But this change requires death. We have to give up who we were and the life we were living in order to follow after God.
And as much as we’re looking forward to all the goodness God has in store for us, there’s often still a sting in grieving what we’re giving up.
For instance, we might miss the quick fixes and instant relief of sin, however costly it might become later. And while we’re now willing to play the long game in cultivating God’s best, we still miss the fun, excitement, and sense of control sin comes with.
And perhaps even more difficult is when sin takes us into new relationships and lifestyles. Returning to God might then mean leaving many meaningful and personal connections behind.
And we still grieve these losses even when we know this is the right thing to do.
It’s simply part of the cost of following Christ. What are we willing to give up for his sake?
Of course, the goodness God has for us is worth every cost. But the path to this goodness is still through death and much grief.
In the end, our hearts are prone to stay stuck and divided when we don’t fully grieve the sin we’re giving up. Grief frees us to finally let go and fully turn our hearts toward God.
However difficult it is to admit, allow yourself to grieve your sins to fully receive all God has for you.
Photo by Alireza Esmaeeli on Unsplash
