Thrive: Overcoming Soul-Robbing Choices

Read Genesis 3

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. Genesis 3:6-7, ESV

Reflect

• Is anything blocking my relationship with the Lord (are there sins I need to confess?)?

• What are the temptations in my life that lure me into sin?

• What concrete steps can I take to excise those temptations from my life?

We are so familiar with this age-old story that we tend to glaze over it when we read it again. Yet when we look closely at how the fruit is described--as "good," "pleasing to the eye," and "desirable"--we realize that those descriptors could fit any number of our own temptations that lead us to sin. Like Eve, we often don't think much about the temptation in the moment--we are simply lured by its attractiveness and react to it instinctively, unable to see beyond its enticements. It's only after we fall prey to the temptation that, like Adam and Eve, our "eyes are opened," and we realize the gravity of our sin and how it has distanced us, once again, from God.

As Romans 8:1-2 says, "There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death." (NLT). Identifying our temptations and confessing our sins are the first steps toward forging a genuine, reciprocal relationship with God. While we will always sin, God's grace allows us to live free from the power of sin.

Pray

Lord, help me face my temptations head-on and admit what they are to You now, so that I can begin the process of returning to You