Stink Bugs and Sin

It's not the greatest thing ever. Actually, I rather dislike it. The stink bug is there, in the corner of my window sill, and I don't want to kill it. But I want to kill it. There are so many of them, and I'm sure they breed in my room, and I see them all the time, and If I let this one live another day I may never see it again before it has thousands of babies which come back to haunt me all summer.

But I'm tired and exhausted and it's way up there in the corner of my windowsill. If it were on the wall, it would be easy to kill. I could just use the kleenex box. But up there in the corner I would have to smash it with an individual kleenex, and I'd feel its body crush under the pressure and ew.

Also, It's a stink bug. As long as it's alive, there is no obnoxious scent (Some people like the smell of stink bugs. They think it smells like leaves. But maybe they're just more fully trained in the area of sin killing than I am.). As long as it's alive I can live here in my room only slightly hindered by my roommate. As long as it's alive I can ignore its presence. That wouldn't be so bad. It's only a small problem.

But as I said, it will multiply. It will grow. Maybe it's only one stink bug now, but allowing that stink bug to live allows it to bring more of itself into the world. I must kill it. And I must kill it now.

And the same is true of sin. I must be actively killing sin or it will be actively killing me. When God has told me seven times to follow him, I must follow him. If that goes against my emotions and natural desires, I must follow him anyway. I must do whatever it takes to destroy the sin out of my life. I must destroy objects which make me fall into sin. I must cancel events which in one way or another help me deviate from the path God told me to walk in. I must run away from situations which encourage temptation.

And sure, I could leave it there. As long as I don't try to flee from sin everything will just be the same as it is. Nothing will be awkward. Nothing will be hard. It will only be a small inconvenience. And it's been a small inconvenience for many months--since God revealed his will. And it was only a small inconvenience. And it's not even that big of a deal. It's not even a sin. You can do these three things which lead up to that sin without actually entering into the thing God told you to run away from. And did God really say?

YES. HE. DID.

And he told me seven times. And if he'd told me any less I'd still be wondering if he really meant it. I didn't believe it was him the first four times he told me. And then I had a nightmare filled with demons. And I knew it was God all along. And I knew what he wanted me to do. And I had a possible understanding why. And then God in his gracious kindness told me two more times for good measure. And I don't doubt it was him. I know what he told me and I must follow him. My Lamb has conquered. Let me follow him. And it's very hard.

Things to pray for:

This week was not the best week ever. It started off very bad. I got so scared in church last week I couldn't concentrate on what the pastor said. I spent most of Monday morning crying. Which was good for me. By Friday I'd mostly forgotten all the things that were wrong, but I went biking and ran into a friend who asked, "How was your week?" "Good," was my automatic response. But then I paused. How was my week? I can tell him honestly. "It was FINE." And then I thought about it as I drove home. And I remembered how bad my week had been. And I spent a large portion of Saturday evening crying about it. Which was good for me. So please pray for all the things that are wrong.

Please pray for wisdom as I try to follow Jesus and eradicate the aforementioned sin from my life.

Boldness and opportunity to share the gospel at work.