Worse Than I Thought

[Before I get into today's blog, I need to say something: Sorry I've not written lately. I am so blessed to have a great writing project that actually pays money right now! So I've been putting hours a day into that, and my blogging is suffering because of it. BUT when I had this experience yesterday, I clearly heard God say, "TELL THIS TO YOUR GIRLS." So this is straight from God to you :)]



 I run almost every day on a trail near my house. I'd totally love trail running if there were no insects. But they are my nemeses. My most common trail-running enemy is spiders, and you can read about my woes with them here.

 But this week I encountered something new: horseflies.
About two minutes into the run, I heard a buzzing around my head. I ignored it, thinking it was a common fly or maybe a wayward wasp, knowing it would disappear in a few seconds. When I reached the top of the next hill and realized it was still orbiting my head, I knew I was in trouble. Horseflies are mean. Huge. They bite. They are persistent. They won't leave you alone.

 So I did what I normally do to a common fly: I gave it a half-hearted swat. No good. I tried running a little faster. No use. I realized that I was running, swatting, flailing my arms, almost tripping down the trail when I finally told myself: "STOP AND KILL THIS THING."  

 [You may or may not know that horseflies rarely land on you unless you're still. They may sneak in a quick bite as you run, but they can't really dig their teeth in until you stop. So if you stop and just stand there, they will eat you alive. But if you are waiting to smack them the second they land, you can kill them pretty easily.]

 So I stopped, hand flat, palm raised and ready to kill the horsefly. And that's when I realized the real problem. I wasn't dealing with a horsefly.

 I was dealing with eight of them.

 I summoned my courage and swatted away. In about 30 seconds, I had killed all eight, leaving large whelps all over my arms, legs, and torso. Yes, I was red from slapping my skin, but at least they weren't biting me any more. Yes, it was scary to stop and let them land on me, but I knew if I didn't kill them all they wouldn't leave me alone. 

 It was worth the pain. 

 I started running again, shaking and a little creeped out. And I thought of sin.

 (Of course I did. Horseflies are sinful. I'm sure it's in the Bible somewhere.)

 Seriously, though, we do the same thing with sin in our lives. It starts swirling around us and we don't think it's really that bad. We give it a little half-hearted attempted swat but it goes nowhere. And because we don't do anything about it, we get halfway through a season of life, stumbling, unfocused, and distracted from the trail we really need to be running.

 You need to stop and kill that sin.

 Seriously. Because just as one horsefly calls to his horsefly friends, "Hey! Come over here! This girl is so sweaty and delicious!" so sin calls to sin.

 And what starts as a smart mouth becomes hateful words that destroy.
What starts a social drinking becomes alcohol dependence.
What starts as experimental drugs becomes full-blown addiction.
What starts as making out becomes sex outside of marriage.
What starts as white lies becomes a deceitful person.

 Stop. Right now. 

 And kill that sin.

 You know which one I'm talking about. You think you have it under control. You think it's not a big deal. That's one of Satan's best lies: "It's not a big deal." He said it to Eve in the garden, he said it to Jesus in the desert, and he says it to you: Sin's just not that big of a deal.

 Lie. It's a huge deal.

 But here's the problem: it's going to hurt to kill it. You might be bruised and shaken when you walk away. You might lose some friends or your boyfriend or your entire identity. 

 But it means everything for the rest of your life and for eternity. 

 Sin steps in between you and God. It stops your prayers to Him and it stops His Spirit speaking to you. And, let's be honest, we're pretty worthless and stupid on our own. 

 Get that communication flowing again. Confess your sins and give God reign in your life. HE CAN KILL THAT SIN no problem. But you need to stop and let him.

 I love you too much to let you live with your sin. It is not God's Will. It breaks His heart and mine. 

 Kill it.
Read Psalm 32 to give you a boost encouragement. 
Please feel free to share or re-post this :) 

 myleslienotebook@gmail.com
@leslienotebook



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