You Feel Something

There is a genetic disorder in which children are born with the inability to feel pain.  Can you imagine not realizing you need to move your hand away from a hot stove? WOW!

While these children don’t experience pain, they do feel something, namely pressure. They must, therefore, be taught that pressure is their body’s way of signaling that damage of some sort is occurring.  Pressure, rather than pain, says to them, “remove your hand.”

This physical inability to feel and respond to pain has a great deal in common with what we may experience spiritually as it relates to our ability to feel and respond to the effects of sin. The reality is sin does not always cause pain or discomfort, but it does always cause death. We must, therefore, be taught to identify the other signals that confirm that damage is occurring each time we step outside of God’s will.

Come on . . . death? Really?

Yes, really. Romans 6:23 says, “. . . the wages of sin is death….” Not necessarily a physical death, but definitely the experience of more hell on Earth than necessary.

John 14:6 declares that Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life.” When we sin and are separated from God, we are also separated from true life.

Perhaps we’ve drawn some erroneous conclusions about the effects of sin in our lives. Please note: the fact that the consequence of each and every sin we commit is not always severe, acute, or immediately obvious does not cancel the truth of Romans 6:23. The wage is still death. You may not feel pain, but you feel something. We sense something—some revelation, some thought, some sensation—and that is our spirit’s way of telling us that a part of us is indeed dying and the true life we are privy to is not what we are living out.

How do we know if we are in sin or not?

Great question!

1 Corinthians 10:31 encourages us to do all that we do “for the glory of God.” We can, therefore, ask ourselves the following questions:

Can you honestly, in good conscience, ask God to bless and use a particular activity for His own good purposes?

Are you doing it to bring Him glory?

If there is room for doubt as to whether it pleases God, then it is best to give it up.

Another factor to consider is that our sin’s consequences may very well not show up in our personal lives.  My friend, don’t be fooled. Sin is harmful. Damage is occurring. You may not see it or “feel” it. Your children do. Your spouse does. Your community does. Your nation does. Your God does.

The good news is God has more grace than you have sin!

God is loving. God is merciful. God is waiting. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive . . . and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

I don’t know if the sin in your life creates for you pain that hurts, a pressure that actually feels kind of good, or just something you feel but can’t explain. Either way, recognize it as a signal—an opportunity to change course—and allow Him, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to remove your hand!