It seems that life has a way of reminding ...uh hum...ok, humbling (sometimes humiliating) me. I am reminded of my "shortcomings" (dare I say, weaknesses).
It's not that I thought I was perfect. It's not that I thought that I had already obtained perfection and had no sin in my life.
But yet, somehow, I do.
Let me just say it, "I AM A SINNER!" Phew...now that feels better.
I am a sinner. As much as I think I've obtained or gained some meritorial status as a christian (you know, I've been a christian for 20 years) or earned brownie points for getting my license to preach, I am still a sinner. I still make mistakes. I mess up. yep. That's me.
Now that you have picked yourself off the floor in realizing that I'm just like you (yeah, you're a sinner too), lets get down to business.
I have learned that some nasty habits of mine (38 years worth) are actually sin. I can justify that I've never known any better. I can say up until recently, I didn't realize I was even in sin. But either way, it's still sin. It doesn't matter whether I knew it or not - it's still sin.
Someone was kind enough to point it out. Kind...yeah. I didn't think so at first, but I am glad that they did. Their "kindness" is my growth. Because of their willingness and obedience to point out my flaw (ok - flaws, there was more than one), I am growing. I am being refined. I am having these impurities removed from my life.
It's never easy to be refined. It's never easy to be purified. Even worse, it's never pleasant to be pruned...losing well-worn and beloved habits hurts, but in the long run, I will be better for it.
