Of Sin and Eggshells

Sin is like an irritating eggshell fragment that plunges into your bowl  and nuzzles in tight when  you’re cracking eggs for brownies..or cheesecake, in my case.

1. Sin, like the exasperating eggshell, can creep into our lives when we least expect it.

When we’re off guard spiritually, sin is very likely to slink into the corners of our lives.
Sometimes we don’t even recognize it at first. It can be as “innocent” as a glance back at someone (not our spouse) that’s looking particularly fine. It can masquerade as an irked whisper-holler when we don’t want to take a call:  “Tell them I’m NOT home!” 

Keep watch and be on guard. Pencil in prayer time and wake up 10 minutes early to soak in the truths of God’s Word.

2. Sin, like eggshells, has a firm grip. 

You know what I mean if you’ve ever tried removing  miniscule eggshell bits from a batter bowl. You thrust your finger into the bowl, trying to wedge that slippery shell between your fingertip and the bowl, and it just. won’t. budge. Sin in our lives is the same way. Satan is a cunning enemy. He knows our strongholds. He loves them. They’re his work in our flesh.
When sin gets the best of us, and we feel there’s no way out,

 Jesus always offers help. Call out to him.

Find a spiritual mentor, full of wisdom, and preferably with a few decades of Jesus-following under his or her belt and ask them for counsel. Have coffee together and share your heart. Chances are, you’re not alone. They’ve been there, seen that, and can pray for you and guide you out. 
In addition, begin and end here every day. (My grandma once told me that she’d buy me a new Bible when mine became this well-loved.)

3. Sin, like eggshells, tries to pull it’s way back in.

You’ve got the eggshell cornered. It’s finger verses shell. You pull up, up, up. You’re almost to the top rim of the bowl when PLOOM! The pesky shell dives back in. Sin, like a persistent telemarketer,  ventures back again and again,  knocking at our door once we’ve said “Adios.” Just when we think we’re liberated from a stronghold, there it is again, like a begging dog on the doorstep. “Just once more,” it pleads.

Run from sin. Turn the other way and RUN. I know it’s not easy. We all have weak points where Satan tries to lure us back. back. back. Say NO by avoiding the things that lead you toward your weak areas and stay strong by downing your daily bread in 200 lb. man-sized-quantities at least once a day.

What’s it mean to avoid the temptations?

Let’s say, Jelli, you earnestly love your family, but  tend to spend an hour or more every night coding html in a fruitless attempt to be the most glam blog designer ever. What can you do? Schedule blog time and leave the rest of your daylight hours for your precious fam. They need you, and the time you have with them is limited. Enjoy, disfrutar, go to the park, and make the most of it. When a blog-related email appears in your inbox, sign out. When a friend calls telling you your comment link isn’t working. Sigh (deeply) and hug your baby. It’s all right, and you’ll never be able to keep up with the cool techie-chic geeks anyway.

Linking up here:
Thought Provoking Thursdays at SomeGirl’s Website