Category: Sin

A Bad Day? Really?

Lately I’ve been challenged by the verse in Rom 12:2 which says, And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

This morning I’m looking outside, and I thought this is a good day; it’s cloudy and cold and the weather network is predicting a rain/snow mixture by noon today.

So what makes this a good day? The birds are feeding at the feeder, flitting about the woods and their bird houses. I get to go out to spend time with a bunch of lovely ladies to study God’s Word. I have groceries to stop and pick up afterwards, then come home to my two sweet (my daughter calls them weirdos) little chihuahua pups who love me totally and unconditionally.

Not everyone would call this a good day. People who suffer with barometric headaches, or other debilitating physical issues, people with chronic pain, perhaps they just broke an arm or leg and are in terrible pain. Perhaps someone lost a loved one through death or the death of their marriage in divorce. There are all manner of ways people are suffering the world over. Terrible suffering, I have no idea about.

They would say they are having a bad day. As a child of God, I want to challenge that thought.

In Gen 1:4-5:  it says, And God saw the light, that [it was] good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

First off, in God there is no evil, no shiftiness, no ‘bad’ness, so I don’t believe He can create something bad.

If you look down to verse 31, it says, And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, [it was] very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

So the challenge is to align our thoughts with the bible, God’s Word. This is just one small area, trust me there are so many more ways in which we conform to the world! But in this one instance, how about we start to think that our circumstances are bad or are a challenge, are painful physically or emotionally difficult rather than naming the whole day ‘bad’. I believe we speak against God’s Word by declaring ‘this is a bad day when God Himself declared it to be very good.

I know it can sound like I’m splitting hairs, or being very simplistic and that there may be more important things to consider how we are conforming to this world, but I point this out as just one small way to not conform to the world.

One last bible verse to consider is [2Co 10:5b, and [we are] taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

After all Christ has done for me, this is one small way I can align myself with Him and His word, to be obedient.

Bless you as you face the challenges of not conforming to this world. We are each on our own journey, I just share one small piece of my own journey.

I was thinking …..

It’s exciting to see another Fall season coming. So many things to look forward to. It’s harvest time, canning, freezing and splitting perennials to thin out the plants. I confess, I had allowed my plants to spread too big and now had one huge job on hand to split and replant them. No worries, it gives me more gorgeous plants to replant elsewhere and share with other perennial lovers.

But the thing I love about Fall the most, is cozying up inside with a hot cup of coffee or chicory, and if it’s cool/cold enough, cuddle up under a blanket with pups laying on or beside me.

This year I decided to try Pumpkin Spice coffee. My son-in-law brought me a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks and while I liked the flavour, it was too sweet, and the price!! So I decided to buy some of that flavouring from the grocery store. I drink the Silk brand of milk so naturally I tried the smaller size of their Pumpkin Spice coffee creamer.

I was not disappointed. It was really delicious. I added it in every cup of coffee/chicory I drank. It was my Fall treat!

To my surprise though, by the last cup, I noticed an after taste that wasn’t so delicious. It had lost it’s appeal and that’s when I realized, how much like falling into sin it was. Not the creamer, but sin in general.

It starts with thoughts of how everyone else is doing it and how good it would be if you did also. Then it goes on to anticipation and follow through. And, O boy, it’s as good as you thought it would be.

But, in regards to sin, to a child of God, you feel a bit of unease and gradually, distaste and finally you realize the disappointment and that you have lost all enjoyment of it.

Giving it up, getting back to where you were before giving in to any sin, repenting and returning to being obedient to God, peace once again fills you with deep contentment.

What I have found over the years, when you live an obedient life as a child of God, as much as possible, eventually you discover that the peace and joy is more valuable than the sin you once considered so enjoyable. Even when temptation arises, you can more easily turn your back on it and stay in the peace and contentment of God, desire for those prior things has lost it’s appeal, and all I can say in those situations is Thank God and Hallelujah!