If my people would only listen to me, if Israel would only follow my ways. (Ps. 81:13)
We all have that friend who has a nasty habit of falling for people who are not anywhere near ready for a real relationship. Maybe you, a friend, or a child of yours has gone through a similar experience in which they kept repeating the same mistake over and over again. It can be painful to be the one watching it happen when you know that you have shown them or told them a better way. Learning how to offer grace and tough love to others and yourself in these areas of habitual sin can get tricky, but it is so important.
This psalm clearly displays God’s sorrow in watching his people continue to fall back into sin after he performed miracles and gave them the command to have no other gods or idols. God wants us to choose the wise path. He wants us to choose to follow him. God does not want to be saddened by our choices any more than we want to suffer the negative consequences of not walking in wisdom. Our lives could be so much easier and less painful if we would simply listen to God and obey.
What are the habitual sins you struggle to overcome? With God’s help, you can conquer any area of sin in your life, even if some require more conviction and accountability than others.
Find someone to hold you accountable to listening to and obeying God.
Sadie Kaminski received her masters of divinity from Wesley Seminary in 2020. In her free time, she loves to climb the sand dunes along Lake Michigan.
© 2021 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
