Have you ever had a sin that you just couldn’t quit? I have. A couple of them actually. Jesus changed a lot overnight, but there were some things I continued to struggle with. I was talking to my friend, and I was contemplating out loud why God hasn’t removed a particular one. “Ask Him” they advised.
I was confused… I began to explain how I have grieved this sin, have pled with God to remove it, but for some reason I can’t seem to stop stumbling back into it. “I don’t think you really have asked” they replied. Say What?! I have asked for so long every day to take this sin from me.
So I went to the Lord and asked Him to show me where I am not understanding how to ask. And I prayed and prayed and prayed some more. I dug into the word and asked that He show me the truth, so that I could understand why I continue to commit this sin, in light of how I know it doesn’t please Him… why I can’t let it go.
As Jesus would have it, by honestly seeking His wisdom on the matter through His word, I realized my friend was right. I was asking God to remove it, but not to truly wanting Him to give me the strength to release it. I wanted God to supernaturally make it just go away the way He did in other areas. I didn’t want to lean on Him and flee from evil. I simply wasn’t willing to trust Him to help. Because if I am honest I really didn’t want Him to in those hidden places of my heart.
So, in light of that I prayed a little differently, by praying His word of truth over the matter.
- I confessed my lack of trust Psalm 40:4
- I asked God to give me a deeper hunger for his word Hebrews 4:12
- I repented of my willful blindness to His truth about anything I haven’t wanted to hear John 12:40
- I recommitted all details of my life big and small to God Proverbs 16:3
1 John 5:14-15
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
I posted 1 John 5:14-15 everywhere. The bathroom, my office, my car, the wall next to my side of the bed, etc, so that I could meditate and grow in faith, until the Holy Spirit let it take root.
Praise God for His wisdom and help when we sincerely ask.
