For the past week, my son has had a bad word lodged in his mind. Several times a day, he gets frustrated and asks me what to do. I reviewed the many ways with him, yet he has not succeeded, and as his mind quietens, the bad word comes back to plague him. With sincere fear in his eyes, he questioned if this meant he would go to hell. I felt so sad for my poor son, and his tender heart, assuring him of God’s love, forgiveness, and grace.
I fully understood his fear and frustration, as I was fighting off the demons plaguing my thoughts. So many scriptures speak of sin beginning in our hearts and minds. Even thinking the thought of certain sins, is committing the crime. Hatred is murder, lusting after another is adultery, and covetousness, wanting what you don’t have, is all sin never even having left the confinements of your mind.
Hebrews 12:1 speaks, “Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Scripture repeatedly says to flee from sin!
“Flee the evil desires of youth.” 2 Timothy 2:22;
“Flee from sexual immorality. 1 Corinthians 6:18;
“Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent.” Ecclesiasticus 21: 2.
The Bible tells us to flee because sin clings so closely! Similar to the bad word replaying in my son’s mind, it clings to you, much like a leech. How do you flee from a leech? By not even going in the water. This year at summer camp, a young boy came out of the lake covered in leeches. It scared many of the rest of us from daring to go in. This is how we need to flee from sin. Don’t even entangle yourself in its environment. And if you do, you best have a cloud of witnesses ready to pull them off you.
“ Brothers and Sisters, think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.” Philippians 4:8. Just as I ran my marathon, a friend texted me this verse to encourage me, knowing it would be hard. As we run our race of faith, keep our minds set on what is worthy of praise, and avoid the places that can and will entangle us. Knowing that once we’ve entangled ourselves with sin, it will cling to us like a weight.
~Walking Restored~ 