I’ve had to drive through roadworks lately, where the speed limit is 40 km/hour.
It’s easy to just slip over the speed limit, and after several kilometres, to not realize that the speed limit is still in place.
It’s hard to stay under the limit, especially when other vehicles are whizzing past, or worse, right up close behind me. I feel bad that I am slowing them down, and that they are getting impatient and annoyed. I feel that they are forcing me to speed up.
It’s easy to break the rules, and difficult to stick to the limits. Everyone else is doing it! I can’t help it, I had to go with the flow. I had to fit in with the crowd. You wouldn’t want me to look stupid, would you? I can’t be late! It’s not such a big deal. I’m not hurting anyone. They are silly rules anyway.
Have you made excuses like this when you have broken the rules? Have your heard similar excuses from others? Maybe your children say such things when they break your rules.
Speed limits are in place to protect us and the road workers. There are consequences if we disobey. God has put rules in place too. His rules are there to guide and protect us. They are there for our good. When we break God’s rules, it’s called ‘sin,’ although we might like to call it ‘just fitting in’, or ‘doing what is right for me at the time’.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
Wow! That’s not easy! It seems so much easier to just go with the flow, not make waves, be part of the majority, do what everyone else is doing. That’s not what God asks of us. He wants to renew our minds and transform us to be like Him. He tells us to discern His will. To do this, we need to dig into the Scriptures. Then we will know what is good and acceptable and perfect.
God knows what is best for us. The devil, the world, and our sinful selves tempt and coax us into doing the opposite, with thoughts like, “It won’t hurt anyone; you might miss out; you can do anything; just do ‘you.’” The television, radio, internet, and social media lure me into spending time that may be better spent elsewhere. They want me to spend money, continually buying things which they say will make me feel and look good.
We are tempted to believe that there are no consequences for our sin. We may say or think things like: “God says He loves you, so He will forgive whatever you do, so you may as well keep sinning; it’s only a white lie; it’s the way of the world; everyone’s doing it; you’ll look foolish if you don’t conform; you’ll have no friends/less money/be a nobody.”
May God empower us through His word, to be able to discern the truth, and to reject the ways of the world. May He enable us to withstand the temptations of the world, and instead to run to Him for answers to how we should think, speak and live.
Thank the Lord that He does forgive us!
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us.
1 John 1:8-9 (NIV)
Prayer: Dear God, Daily I am tempted to conform to the world and its standards. Please forgive me! Every day I turn to worldly places for information and advice. Please renew my mind and transform me to be like You. Guide me back into Scripture, so that I can hear what You want me to do. I ask for a spirit of discernment, so that I can think like You in every decision. Guide my thoughts, words, and actions so that I can reflect You. May I yearn to do what is good and acceptable and perfect to YOU. Thank you that because of Jesus, I am forgiven. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
P.S. Don’t go with the flow – it just ends up in the sewer.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Are there particular rules that annoy you, or that you find difficult to obey?
How do you feel about God’s rules?