Well, yesterday, I spent the day attempting to tow Jason's car to a shop while he was at work. Turns out, while he was in the field for the last three weeks, one of his brake lines rusted and snapped. Thankfully we figured this out before driving it. But there was a time when my brake lines snapped on me while I was driving. Back in high school I was heading to coach a softball practice and pulling into the parking lot. When I tried to park, I kept on going and slammed right into the concrete barrier. I wasn't even on the road or really in danger and it was terrifying. Have you ever had that experience? One where you couldn't stop? You knew the danger but you didn't know what you could do to fix the situation?
I think these situations come up in life more often than we like to admit. Sure, there were warnings, just as there are warnings when your brakes are going bad. Maybe you start hanging out with the wrong crowd. Maybe a steamy love scene in a movie lodges in your head. Maybe you start with a little lie, not meaning to do harm. But as with all sin that goes unchecked and unrepented, it turns into a dangerous slippery slope. When driving, I notice having to push the pedal a little harder for the full stop, but if I don't do anything about it, it only worsens. The same is true with the sin in our lives. And then, before we realize just how weak our resistance has become, we are sliding into danger without any idea of how to stop.
Please realize how deceptive sin is. You won't see flashing billboards that scream out where you're headed, you'll simply continue on with what you're doing, finding it easier and easier to make excuses until you're too far blinded by the sin to see the light. So how do we stop it? Well, first and foremost, the better you know God's voice, the easier it is to avoid all those other voices that counter it. Get to know him through prayer and his word. Those are big helps. But there is another way to help stop the slippery slope of sin, and it's a little scary because it leads to an intense vulnerability. Find a friend, and tell them of your struggles.
Terrifying, right? Because all the sudden you will have to lose the mask that you have your life under control and admit to being flawed to another human being. But please know that in this step there is so much freedom. When you can admit your faults and struggles to another trusted individual, you take a huge step in overcoming the sinful habit you just couldn't seem to break. And usually, once you confess your struggles to a friend, you will find that they have them as well. You suddenly become a team that is willing to work to overcome the temptations of this world.
This is in no way a new idea. Look at the people of the Bible. Moses had Aaron. David had Johnathon. Naomi had Ruth. Esther had Mordecai. Caleb had Joshua. Mary had Martha. Paul had Barnabas for a while. And look at Jesus. In Mark 6:7 when he first sent out his disciples, he sent them out two by two. It's clear that this life was not meant to be lived alone, nor is our walk with God. We need help. We need someone to lean on, someone to talk to, someone to gain advice from.
So if you're struggling with a sin that you can't seem to overcome, look to a spiritual mentor to help you on your journey. Sit down with someone you trust and tell them so they can hold you accountable. Usually the knowledge alone that someone is going to ask you if you have fallen back into sin will be enough of a reminder in the moment to not give into the temptation. And, if you do fall, they will be there to encourage you and show you the mercy and love of Christ. I think some of the greatest lies the devil tells us are that "no one will understand" and "I can do this on my own." We all need someone to speak honesty into our lives; to hold us when we crumble and celebrate with us in our victories. We were not meant to walk this road alone. So talk to someone. Face down your habitual sin once and for all, with a battle buddy standing beside you, ready to fight for your cause. Move past the shame of confession and find strength in numbers.
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