The Apostle Paul - “You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.” (Galatians 6:7-8)
It’s often been said that one thing leads to another, be it bad or be it good. In other words, whatever we reap we will also sow. This has certainly been proven true when it comes to us giving in to our sinful natures.
Giving in to our sinful natures brings discouragement to our lives. First, it is seen as frustration in our lives which comes with one problem right after another. We rid ourselves of one issue only to see another pop into our lives. We deal with one compulsion only to reveal another. We work through one dysfunctional relationship only to find ourselves in another. The Apostle Paul writes that “It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong… something else deep within me… is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to sin.” (Romans 7:21, 23). Secondly, discouragement shows itself as fatigue in our lives. The Psalmist understood this as he wrote, “My strength evaporated like water on a sunny day until I finally admitted all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide them.” (Psalm 32:4-5) Finally, discouragement shows up as failure in our lives. King Solomon writes, “You’ll never succeed in life if you try to hide your sins. Confess them. Give them up. Then God will show mercy to you.” (Proverbs 28:13)
Giving in to our sinful natures brings devastation to our lives. Devastation is often not seen as something bad that happens to us, but something good that our sinful natures prevent from happening in our lives. First, when we give in to our sinful natures, we miss out on experiencing victory in our lives. The Apostle Paul writes, “Letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death.” (Romans 8:6) and “You reap what you sow.” (Galatians 6:7) Second, when we give in to our sinful natures, we miss out on experiencing the benefits of God’s kingdom. Once again, Paul writes, “Anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:21) Finally, when we give in to our sinful natures, we miss out on experiencing the abundant life. Jesus said, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10) No one really intends to give in to the sinful nature. No one truly wants to miss out on living a rich and satisfying life, especially since Jesus came to offer it to us. In tomorrow’s devotion, we’ll focus on how to overcome our struggles with our sinful natures.
Followup Activity - Pray and ask the Lord to show you how you may have given in to your sinful desires. Ask Him to guide you to have victory in your life. If you’re leading your family through this devotion, dialogue with them about the negative impact that sin brings in our lives, then guide them to complete the individual exercise above.
Prayer for Today - Lord, forgive me for when I’ve given in to my sinful desires. Help me have spiritual victory in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.