I was having trouble with knitting this morning. Finding extra stitches in the row, not having enough stitches at the end of the pattern row, etc. etc. At one point I thought I had it all sorted out. Then I turned it over and noticed a stitch that had dropped two ridges -- six rows down. I tried picking it up, no dice. I had to rip out the six rows.
By now, I had taken out and reknit stitches a bunch of times. The yarn was beginning to look ragged, so I cut out the segment and began again. I am now, finally, back on the right track. Things should be easier, too, with the fresh yarn. It will be a better product, too.
It came to mind that our spiritual lives can be like this. We struggle...we all struggle...with sin. Sometimes we have to fight harder than others, sometimes we lose.
God, as He is putting our lives together, may need to take things out, fix things, rework things. On occasion, He may need to cut some habit or pattern from our lives completely giving that space new material so that our lives are easier and, more importantly, better. This could be any kind of sin -- greed, pride, sexual immorality, drunkenness, neglecting spiritual disciplines, gossip. Even things that get horribly ingrained in us can be fixed. It may not be very fun for us. We may need to make changes that will require us to recognize our shame, to be humble, to allow God to work. We may need courage and discipline and a willingness to change our environment, but it can be done. God does it all the time.
When God has restored us we are not damaged goods. We are whole. We may have responsibilities toward others, accrued during our time of sin, that we must fulfill, but we can move forward with our spiritual lives as though that sin never happened.
Can I hear an "amen"?
This is my 22nd post for the October Ultimate Blog Challenge. I am going for 31 posts in 31 days!
By now, I had taken out and reknit stitches a bunch of times. The yarn was beginning to look ragged, so I cut out the segment and began again. I am now, finally, back on the right track. Things should be easier, too, with the fresh yarn. It will be a better product, too.
It came to mind that our spiritual lives can be like this. We struggle...we all struggle...with sin. Sometimes we have to fight harder than others, sometimes we lose.
God, as He is putting our lives together, may need to take things out, fix things, rework things. On occasion, He may need to cut some habit or pattern from our lives completely giving that space new material so that our lives are easier and, more importantly, better. This could be any kind of sin -- greed, pride, sexual immorality, drunkenness, neglecting spiritual disciplines, gossip. Even things that get horribly ingrained in us can be fixed. It may not be very fun for us. We may need to make changes that will require us to recognize our shame, to be humble, to allow God to work. We may need courage and discipline and a willingness to change our environment, but it can be done. God does it all the time.
When God has restored us we are not damaged goods. We are whole. We may have responsibilities toward others, accrued during our time of sin, that we must fulfill, but we can move forward with our spiritual lives as though that sin never happened.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
Can I hear an "amen"?
This is my 22nd post for the October Ultimate Blog Challenge. I am going for 31 posts in 31 days!
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