There's No Magic Answer to Sin

"Here’s an old metaphor about how a Christian fights against darkness. Envision your mind as a room. When sin reigns, that room is filled with dark thoughts, dark actions, and deceptive people who mean you no good. So how do you get darkness out of the room? There are two ways that you fight. First, you stand up to the darkness, expelling it from the room, learning to directly say no to evil. And second, you fight the darkness by filling the room with light. There’s no room for the darkness when the room is filled with worthy actions, true thoughts, and constructive people. When Christ enters the room, he is patiently committed to teach us to say no to what is wrong and yes to what is merciful and good.
....

"Christ comes with mercy for people who know their sins. His mercy leads to doing simple things that consistently head in the right direction. Do you feel discouraged and defeated by your struggle? Don’t let anyone kid you that there’s some magic answer and somehow you missed it. There are no magic answers. But a Person full of light is willing to walk with you in the direction of the light. He is willing to walk with you the whole way home."    - excerpts from an essay by David Powlison

Divine Priority

"In considering the rationale for God-centered worship, we must begin with the realization that worship is the number one priority of the Church. Jesus' famous statement in John 4:23 that the Father seeks worshipers is unparalleled, for nowhere in the entire corpus of Holy Scripture do we read of God's seeking anything else from a child of God. God desires worship above all else.

"Thus, every man who calls himself a Christian must understand that worship is the ultimate priority of his life. Worship is what God wants from you and from me. Jesus hallowed and substantiated this in His chiding of busy, frenetic Martha, who was so critical of her sister's sitting at Jesus' feet: "Martha, Martha...you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10: 41, 42).

"A look at the massive emphasis on worship in the Old Testament reveals God's mind on worship's priority. Exodus devotes twenty-five chapters to the construction of the Tabernacle, the locus of divine worship. Leviticus amounts to a twenty-seven chapter liturgical manual. And the Psalms are a spectacular 150-chapter worship hymnal. Divine worship has always been the occupation and sustenance, the priority, of the believing soul." 
              - from Disciplines of a Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes

Working at Transformation

"Here we can finally sort out our initial thoughts on sloth. We are right to think of sloth as resistance to effort - but not only, or even primarily in the sense of being physically lazy or lazy about our work. Rather, it is resistance to the discipline and transformation demanded by our new identity as God's beloved children, created and redeemed to be like him. The slothful like the comforting thought of being saved by love, of being God's own, but balk at facing the discomfort of transformation - the slow putting to death of the old sinful nature - and the discipline it takes to sustain that transforming relationship of love over the long haul." - from Glittering Vices by Rebecca DeYoung

For a Person Who is Hurting

This is an excerpt from an essay by David Powlison. If you are hurting, feeling lonely, or overwhelmed with life tonight, this may provide some comfort.

What words can I say to you when your life is hard and you are hurting? If we were face to face, I probably wouldn’t start with words at all. I would want you to talk when you are able. I want to know you, what you are going through, what it is like for you, and how you are doing. Simply being present and conveying that tears, heartache, and confusion are valid would probably be more helpful. Many wise Christians have commented that Job’s counselors did well until they opened their mouths (Job 2:11-13), and I certainly don’t think there is some magic word that will make everything better.

But when it comes time to say something, I might say this: Jesus is a most sympathetic friend, fellow sufferer, and Savior. He has walked a hard road. He has felt his own anguish and crushing pain (Isaiah 53). He understands. He is compassionate toward you. By the comfort of his presence and sympathy, he intends to draw you out and draw you to Himself.

I encourage you to go to him and speak to him. There is something about our ability to find words to express what we’re experiencing that makes a genuine difference. A wise Christian of many centuries ago said, “To open one’s heart to one’s friend—it doubles our joys and cuts our griefs in half.” I have found this to be true. Sharing a joy really does double the joy. And of course, sharing heartache never takes it all away — but there’s something about speaking to someone who truly cares about you that soothes your wounds. You are not alone.

For anyone reading this and who knows me, you can always reach out to me.

Titus 3:1-6: A Reason to be Grateful

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Perseverence in the Faith

O God, who in your loving kindness does both begin and finish all good things; grant that as we glory in the beginnings of your grace, so we may rejoice in its completion; look on us, and have mercy upon us; that we, who by your grace are following the path of your will, may never turn aside from the ways of life and persevere through Jesus Christ our Lord. - Amen

Confessing Sin

[The following is an excerpt from Disciplines of a Godly Man, by R. Kent Hughes]

While understanding that confession should happen spontaneously, our discipline of devotion ought to involve systematic confession as well. First, we must confess what we are, the ontological reality that we truly are sinners. Romans 3:9-20 is the text I have found most helpful on this point, for it repeatedly affirms that we are sinners -- that, in fact, our entire being is tainted with evil. It is most important that we regularly make this confession because, as regenerated men who are making some progress in spiritual growth, it is sinfully natural to falsely suppose we are rising above our condition -- a delusion which testifies to our very depravity.

Second, we must confess our specific sins. I would suggest making a list of our sins, for the act of writing them out helps materialize this personal reality for us. C.S. Lewis said, "We must lay before him what is in us, not what ought to be within us." This done, we should confess each sin by its ugly name, and then thank God for his forgiveness through the blood of His Son.

The importance of confession for the devotional life cannot be overstated. "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened" (Psalm 66:18; cf. Proverbs 28:13). Unconfessed sin makes the heavens seem like brass. But confession not only opens the heavens, it also enhances our intimacy with God, as Francois Fenelon urged:

Tell [God] all that is in your heart, as one unloads one's heart to a dear friend....People who have no secrets from each other never want for subjects of conversations; they do not...weigh their words, because there is nothing to be kept back. Neither do they seek for something to say; they talk out of the abundance of their heart -- without consideration, just what they think....Blessed are they who attain to such familiar, unreserved intercourse with God.