Breaking Free from Habitual SinSample

Making changes and trusting God’s forgiveness 

One of the ways Jesus changes us is to give us wisdom about what is driving us to sin in the first place. We begin the process of overcoming habitual sin by changing the habits that facilitate it. We have to adopt the attitude of Joseph who, when tempted by Potiphar’s wife to come to bed with her, left the room so quickly that he left his cloak in her hands.  We must make every effort to run from the things that tempt us to sin, whether that is access to pornography if we are tempted to sexual sin, or being with people that lead us to make sinful choices. Jesus tells us to cut off our hand or pluck out our eye if they “offend” us. This means removing from our lives the things or people that tempt us to sin even when those are things we enjoy. In short, we have to change the habits that lead to habitual sin.

Another element is trusting the nature of God’s forgiveness. We may stumble and go back to old habits as we are trying to change. The enemy will want to use that to discourage us and make us think we are beyond forgiveness. The truth is God’s ability to forgive simply does not run out. Thankfully, God knows that we will fall, and His grace increases as sin increases. God is not going to give up or let you go. Begin by asking God for wisdom and identifying the things that are leading to your habitual sin. Then start addressing those, and you will begin to see God change your life.