“Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” James 4:17
If I didn’t know any better than I might not be so convicted by this verse, but since I do, it has hammered me all morning. Why, because just this morning in my prayer time I asked the Lord to search me, know me, test me, and to reveal anything in me that is not pleasing to Him (Psalm 139:23-24) and like always as I began to study His word…BAM, He reveals it and in detail at that, thus James 4:17
It is always tough to hear, but I am thankful I can hear it and that I have not become hardened. Lord may I always find joy in Your discipline and see it as progress and not condemnation.
Knowing what I ought to do and then not doing it
1. I know I am not to argue or complain but I do it anyway.
2. I know I am to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger, but a lot of the time I am the opposite (sorry honey)
3. I know I am to encourage others.
4. I know I am to show love to the unlovable; not annoyance
5. I know I need to be sensitive to others feelings.
6. I know I need to be more understanding about the hours my husband works all year around 24-7; and use the time we do get to be together as a joyful fun time for all of us; instead of griping and complaining about all my problems. Seriously ya’ll I really don’t have any problems; I just create a lot of them because I focus on myself too much.
-It’s bad and I hate to admit it but as you can see this is the biggest one God has hammered me on. I know this one has been an area of sin that I have failed to lay down. It is like a sin upon a sin which is so bad, again thus God leading me to James 4:17
Maybe there are some things in your life that you know you need to be doing but are not. Maybe it’s getting back into church, maybe it is getting involved in church. Maybe you have been holding onto some bitterness towards someone that you need to confess, maybe you have not been spending time with God. Maybe you are trying to straddle both God and the world, and maybe you know you have been surrounding yourself with things or people that have not been encouraging you spiritually, whatever it is let God reveal it to you today.
Let’s not be the servant who refused to do his duty (Luke 12:47) let’s be the servants that do our duties plus some.
Prayer: Lord thank You for always keeping me on my toes. Thank You for wanting me to always be better and more Christ-like than what I am. Lord today I confess these areas of sin to You and ask that You will continue to keep me accountable as I seek to become more like You. Amen
