“So brace up your minds; be sober (circumspect, morally alert); set your hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace (divine favor) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed.”
-1Peter 1:13

I usually start my day with the “verse of the day” on Biblegateway.com. This one, from 1 Peter, was today’s verse.

After reading the verse, I will usually go on to read that chapter for my morning devotions. So I went to 1 Peter today. When I thought of writing in my blog today, I thought of maybe just writing a list of some of my favorite verses, and the interesting thing today is that one of my favorite verses of late is found right here in 1 Peter – it’s verse 2:

2 Who were chosen and foreknown by God the Father and consecrated (sanctified, made holy) by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and to be sprinkled with [His] blood: May grace (spiritual blessing) and peace be given you in increasing abundance [that spiritual peace to be realized in and through Christ, freedom from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts].

That part about freedom from “agitating passions and moral conflicts” has always caught my eye... what causes us to have agitating passions and moral conflicts? Something Robert said during one of his sermons recently came to my mind when I thought of that; He said, “We think we’re dealing with our sins, but really what we like to do is put them on the shelf instead of on the alter. Then we can always go back and play with them again later.” As I have thought about that, I’ve realized, the things that I would say cause me to have “agitating passions and moral conflicts” are the things I’ve been convicted about in my life, but I haven’t utterly destroyed. I’ve been wishy washy and compromising. I’ve considered the affect that my actions will have on others way too much. I’ve thought, “If I do this, they will feel....” God forgive me, the truth is I have been more concerned about offending people than I have with offending God. I’ve even justified that to myself, thinking, “God is all-knowing so He understands, but they won’t understand and they’ll be hurt.” I have wondered before whether Isaac understood when Abraham was about to sacrifice him as an offering...Abraham didn’t tell him at the beginning of the journey, in fact not until just before he was about to go through with it. I am quite certain Sarah would not have understood. He didn’t tell her at all.
Why is it so hard to just let go of the things that cause us these agitating passions? Especially if we know they are caused by things that are wrong in our life. There is a battle for our soul that I believe won’t be completely over until we draw our last breath here. I’m reminded of John Bunyan’s epic poem, The Holy War. How eloquently this portrays the fierce battle within every human heart. I think the answer to this question, at least in part, is this – we don’t love God like we should. Like we would really like to love Him. We are so distracted today. There are a million other things constantly trying to pull our focus away from God. And then, there are the other things we have allowed to take root in our lives – our “comforts” –whatever that is for you. You alone know what they are. I know what mine are, and I know that to get rid of them will hurt. We form soul ties with our comforts and to root them out once and for all will hurt like tearing our own flesh. But what else should we expect? Should we expect to “play” with sin and then extricate ourselves from it as easily and freely as a child throwing down a toy he has grown tired of? No..sin is more like the story of the tar-baby. Touch it once and you’re in trouble. Touch it again and you’re in a bit deeper. Keep messing with it and pretty soon your trapped. Helpless. We are poor Brer Rabbit. And that wily old devil, Brer Fox, is sittin’ over in the bushes, laughing fit to be tied at the predicament we are in. Is there anything more helpless than a rabbit?? I think it’s a fitting picture. But thanks be to God! He doesn’t leave us helpless - if we will but call out to Him He comes immediately to our aid and lifts us out of our pit of despair.

And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]! –Isaiah 30:18
For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me. Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.
-Psalm 40:12,13

I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. –Psalm 40:1-3