When sin is crouching at your door

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.~ 2 Corinthians 10:5

I watched a young woman explain why she wasn’t evacuating in light of the approaching storm.  For her it was an adrenaline rush, the chance to see waves in the ocean like never before.  I wanted to jump through the tv and tell her to go.  I wanted to tell her that adrenaline rush was not worth it, but I had to deal with my own thinking about the storm before I could cast a stone.

I could not judge her or chalk it up to her youth because I too had been wanting to see the storm.  I wanted to see the storm, but I wanted no parts of the consequences for myself or others.  That’s like saying I want to eat donuts without absorbing a single ounce of fat and calories.  I want the time with my family without distractions and to see how communities are working together rather than the tribalism.  I do not want the valuables of others tangible and intangible to be washed away or damage by the surging waters.  I do not want the discomfort of those who have to be in a shelter or a strange place waiting it out.  Nor do I want our first responders and others to be in harms way.  Yet, at the end of the day, that just me trying to justify my thinking rather than surrendering it to God.

My thinking was quite faulty and it this false argument had to demolished. I had to surrender my will and my thinking to Him and align it with His.  

This “battle”  got me thinking about sin and temptation.  The enemy dangles shiny object in front of us.  He disguises it to look like something we want.  We begin to rationalize it as we ponder it, thinking that it won’t be so bad.  We think that we can take just a bite and not have to deal with the consequences that are hidden in the desire.  The enemy did this with Eve in the garden and he is still deploying this old trick.

I almost fell for it, but God. His Word  tells me not to lean to my own understanding.  His Spirit sounds the alarm bells to warn me that sin is crouching at my door.  It’s quite uncomfortable to share this and I am embarrassed, but it is important to deal with sin in all of its different shapes and sizes. I ask for forgiveness.  I pray that  my struggle with backwards thinking helps someone else. I pray that the  young lady evacuated and chose the better thing over the rush of adrenaline.  And I am grateful that God continues to humble me and direct me to choose what is real and true.

Father, forgive me for my selfish thinking.  May the thoughts and wellbeing of others be before myself.  Bless all who are in the midst of the storm.  May I remain alert and sober to schemes of the enemy and guard my heart and mind.  In Jesus name. Amen