Your Sin?

Setting aside time for recreation such as reading is important and I would not feel guilty about this. It is a good thing to pray for control of the tongue. Idle chit chat can readily lead to gossip and that is to be avoided. It appears that you have control in this area. I do not believe at all that you have the sin of complacency as you seem well adjust adjusted in your spiritual outlook.

When I think of confessing sin, I feel more like confessing what I didn't do and know that I had His power to do it. All my past sins are under the cross - even the ones I did a minute ago.

I should have had more patience with a person today - instead I let my frustration be there and didn't see their struggles.
I should have loved - instead I judged.
I should have prayed - instead I thought I could handle it with my own strength and power.
I should have been more needful of the needs of another - instead I was thinking about my own.

To go on any further will begin to weigh me down. At this point, I run into His grace.

I agree....

May I add,

When someone refuses to believe they are a sinner not only are they contrary to the truth....they are rejecting the cross and blind to their own selves.

There is only forgiveness through Christ, and when we deny that we have sinned we go against all what is written and what has been done for us.

The Lord knows every one individually. There is no one who can hide from the Lord. He sees, hears and knows all things, even before it has already happened.

The Lord prefers someone who humbles himself. When we are obedient He is graceful and merciful towards a man that knows his own heart and is able to be fully connected to the holy spirit.

In regards to finding it hard to discontinue sinning all we can do is pray through and through, that the Lord strengthens us.
Distraction is the best key to making a change.
If you find yourself repeating sinful ways then change your mind, your lifestyle according to what it should be. (Renewing of the mind). It can be a long process although it is something that the brain/mind needs work and training.

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a very wise post,
TY

Well thank you sir

Well I have prayed about this...and have had the most difficult day trying to turn things around, it's like God has been testing me! I have been pretty much silent when things have been said but it hasn't been easy because what was said was true and not being able to speak out has been both frustrating and stressful.

It is going to be a journey I know.

keep sharing your updates, you are not alone!!! !! lets all try to keep each other in our prayers.

I have always tried to say something that would build the person up that is being torn down, whenever possible, even if it is from left field, and usually get a confused reaction. If I can't think of anything to say I just shake my head and change try to change the subject to a more positive note. For example, "did you hear that she is cheating?" ..." hmm, I did here that that other forgave and reconciled, and I only think how uncommonly gracious that is."
So, it can be said that steering the tongue is considered controlling it, and it doesn't have to mean not saying anything.

Pushing against the wave of thoughts/feeelings that would have us continue to be the way we've always been is hard whilst we try to learn a different swimming stroke...awkward at first but it gets easier and I believe God honours our steps when we move to be like Him and works in us to help us along the way. Its takes guts to do what you did today. So be kind to yourself and be encouraged by your movement towards his ways.

Being fearful of people is my battlefield and this week I made a phonecall that I thought would be difficult and it turned out to be easy and God has blessed me with confidence through having made it. Sounds trivial but it was also a step towards Him


We are all in this together. Lord help us walk forward in faith and bless our advances. Amen.

I agree with this as well for sure......! And yes some excellent points to be made for sure!

I can be very quick to anger. I tend to see the fault in others so quick and yet I don't check myself and how I present myself towards others in the process. It may in fact be true, I have the arrogance from my mother and the stubbornness from my father, it's a very bad combination for me. I don't know when to draw the line most of the time. It also leads to problems such as the ego and patience.

Even not too long ago I'd see some things others would be saying and it makes me tempted to make some snide remarks, but for one it'd only feed into their game and I wouldn't be any better of a person than them. So in a sense I had to 'walk away'. Sometimes that is the best thing when some people refuse to hear anyone else's voice other than their own. I guess I'm the same way, otherwise I wouldn't be hearing the voice of such remarks being so loud in my head even right about now.

As far as gossiping, I say it is a very toxic addiction in itself that I can still struggle with. Even if something appears to be true about someone, if all agreed on then it'd only add fuel to say more things about the person or to mock them over such things. It becomes a pack-like mentality to where the more people you have siding with you, the more you feel privileged to throw others around who aren't part of that 'pack', making it an unfair fight (or flight). Just remember that the person who receives the other end of it will remember you as well as others exactly to how they've seen it for the rest of their life. If it's needed then you may have to drop the group even if they end up turning against you too. As there has been a saying and it never failed on me either - those who gossip to you will gossip about you. Chances are that they probably have already done it while you participated in it.

This post is also good for myself to benefit from, so hopefully no harm will be done in saying such things.

You guys have made this post so interesting you really have. It's quite reassuring to read that we are all struggling with sin in one way or the other. It's good to have others who I feel are helping me just by being there and understanding my situation so thank you all.

I had previously taken steps to reduce the opportunity for gossip, I changed the time of my lunch break to avoid the worst of it but I found I was still getting involved - the reason for this thread. Incidentally today was easy because Fridays I only work 4hrs. Next week will be a big challenge.

I work with a girl that gets under everybody's skin; she can be very irritating. I have known her 30 years, we worked together before, and I understand her even though she pushes my buttons too sometimes. I used to go along with what everybody else said about her, but I knew she needed somebody to stick up for her. I just try to say something to show sympathy for her, or just say she has problems and you can't understand unless you've had hers.