Sanctification & today's trial

The reality is, excuses or not, when I sin, I am responsible for my behavior. This takes me back to the theme of this site:

Psalm 51:16-17 "For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

God desires me to be humble before Him, confess my sin, repent of my sin, and worship Him through the manner in which I submit to His authority. John 14:15 says, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." And what does He command of us?

Mark 12:29-31 "Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

This is where I often fail. Today I was not loving. I did not respond in love. It took me nearly 30 minutes to shake off the feelings of frustration I had. In times like this, it is helpful to remember what the Word teaches me. Jesus lived and died to take away the sin of the world. He calls me to show love to everyone, especially those who are hurting and lashing out. The Bible makes it clear that patience in this area is a serious virtue:

Proverbs 19:11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
Proverbs 16:32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
Proverbs 19:20 Do you see a man hasty in his words, there is more hope for a fool than for him."


It can be downright depressing to realize how often I am foolish. But that is OK because sanctification is a process; and perfection is not something that occurs overnight. Praise God, His mercies are new every morning! The important thing is to respond to my sin with confession and repentence - both to God and to anyone I have hurt. To trust in Christ's work on the cross, and glory in His resurrection and ascension.

Ephesians 3:20-21 "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly then all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever, Amen."