"The Pain"

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

A couple of weeks ago I hurt my hand. For the most part it has been all right, but certain movements would cause some severe pain. Even though the pain has subsided, and I am on the mends, if I strain it, or do a lot of repetitive movement or lift something heavy it will send me a "painful" reminder of the injury. The pain maybe mild or it might be a sharp shooting pain, but I know it when it happens.

My point to telling you this? Sin in the life of a believer should be like this. Even the slightest movement in its direction should cause a "pain"- a quickening and conviction in our spirits. We should "feel" it. We should be sensitive it to and well aware of its presence. I believe there is something wrong when we can continue to commit the act of sin and we don't feel any remorse, conviction and aren't repentant toward it. It can only mean that we have allowed our hearts to be hardened or our conscience sheered.

Pain is not necessarily a bad thing. It alerts us to the fact that something is not right. It is also a warning that there is a problem in the body that may need attention. We have been given a conscience and the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to "alert" us when there is a problem spiritually. We don't need to ignore its warning signals. When my hand is sending me a signal of pain, I try to rest it, wrap it to give it more support or do something that will help it.

Let me ask you, are you ignoring the warning signals that the Spirit is using to get your attention concerning a matter of sin in your life? Are you heeding His warnings? If I continue to ignore the signals my hand is sending I will only make it worse instead of better. Don't think you can ignore the warnings that are alerting you to sin and think that it's going to get better- it won't. These warnings have to be heeded and the sin issue has to be dealt with. It won't just "go away", it won't just "get better" on its own. You must confess it, repent of it, and turn from it. That is the only thing that will bring "healing" to the sin issue.

Have a great day. Ignoring pain won't make it go away. Ignoring the conviction of sin won't make it go away either.