Throughout our Christian lives, we find ourselves fighting sin each and every day. We tend to get so caught up in the idea of being the best we can be that we forget about the real reason we began to live our lives in this way.
When we give our lives to God, we are turning away from what we once were and deciding to obey and live for God. We tend to get into the mindset that "sin is bad and I have to do anything and everything that I can to not fall into it." This way of thinking can be somewhat truthful, but we are ignoring the real reason for avoiding sin and the only One who can truly guide us away from the bad things of this world.
Our minds are focused on, "What can I do to help myself?" rather than,"How can I grow closer to God and farther from these things I am wrapped up in?" When dealing with sin, we try to handle things in our own way. We cannot just give sin away or give it up and act as if it were never there; we must replace sin with the Word of God and a stronger relationship with our Creator.
This particular topic has been on my heart for a couple of weeks now. A few friends and I have started a small group and we are studying through the book "The Pursuit of Holiness." As I began reading, the first topic was about how we have a more self-centered focus rather than God-centered focus when it comes to sin. We tend to want victory over sin in order to feel accomplished rather than simply being obedient to God and His Word.
I know throughout my walk with Christ, I have tried to be victorious over the things I cannot defeat; but, I cannot be victorious because I am continuously trying to defeat it on my own. If I took the time to turn toward God and get into His Word when I am being tempted, victory over sin would come alongside my obedience to Him. I think that we tend to get so wrapped up in all of our wrongdoings, that we forget we are saved by grace and that He is always there for us through the struggles we face. It is almost like we are not doing it to be obedient, but rather trying to impress God with our accomplishments.
Living our lives for Him is not about trying to be the best person you can be for yourself and the ones around you. Being a follower of Christ means that we trust in Him and lean on His promises through our struggles in life.
Focus on Him, not yourself.
