Sin…is always a substitute got legitimate suffering. It is an attempt to obtain the pleasure that does not rightfully belong to me or evade the pain that does…Sooner or later, you have to turn and face the pain that makes the temptation so attractive. Sooner or later, you have to run to God.
When I look, I still find more things that Anita left behind. This wall post was in a box that I thought was just frames and photos. It also contained a god number of wall posts and inspirational things, including some of my birthday cards circa 2002.
This quote is from the John Ortberg book “If You want to Walk On Water, Get Out of the Boat.” He is paraphrasing something Carl Jung said.
Part of building my character and becoming a better person includes contemplating the nature of sin. What is sin? Dictionary.com says SIN is “any act regarded as such a transgression, esp. a willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle.”
I am no bible scholar – still learning – but I know that the good book specifies the moral code Christians are supposed to follow. Ten commandments. Golden rule. The lessons of Jesus. But I have to dig a little deeper because this is a sin-filled world and the Devil makes it exceptionally easy for us to sin in many little (and big) ways every day.
With my recent revelations about suffering (you gotta), this wall post was very poignant. When I choose to sin, I am avoiding the painful feelings I currently am having - loneliness, exhaustion, grief, hunger and more. Sometimes, if I have brought the feelings on myself, then I am sinning to escape something of my own making. If it is a God allowed situation, then I am trying to avoid the suffering I was meant to feel.
There is no solution but to be ever attentive to my feelings and reactions to the feelings and always be mindful and running to God and not the escape. With God’s help, I will suffer as is necessary and avoid making things worse.
