"Hard Questions" in American Sign LanguageSample

Why Can’t I Stop Doing Wrong?
By Rick Warren

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8 NIV)

Sin always involves self-deception. At the moment you’re sinning, you’re deceiving yourself because you think that what you’re doing will actually produce better results than what God has already told you to do.

To stop defeating yourself, you must stop deceiving yourself. You’ve got to take an honest look at your life, face the truth, and deal with the issues. What is it in your life you’re pretending isn’t a problem? What is it in your life you’re pretending you’re not addicted to? What is it in your life you’re saying “It’s no big deal” about?

It really doesn’t matter whether you’re shooting heroin or running up your MasterCard, whether you’re reading pornography or a trashy novel. You’re using it all to try to escape from your pain and your sin. But you’re not going to get healing until you first acknowledge the root of your problem.

You don’t have to hit rock bottom before you really change. There are wake-up calls going on all around you right now, and you’re not listening to them. Instead, you’re headed on the path toward destruction.

But you don’t have to go that way. You can acknowledge the root of the issue and deal with it.

I’ve asked the professional counselors in our church, “What’s the biggest problem you encounter?” They say over and over, “People wait too long before they ask for help. Then it’s almost impossible to turn around.” There will be warning signs all over the place in a marriage, and then all of a sudden the husband or wife walks out. The one that’s left behind asks, “What can I do now?” Not a whole lot. You should have been working on it sooner. Most people are in denial and wait until it’s too late, and they go through unnecessary pain.

The Bible says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8 NIV).

What are the hard questions you need to be asking about the sin in your life? What are the warning signs you’ve been ignoring?

If you want healing, you’ve got to acknowledge the root of your problem. You’ve got to face the truth about you.

Talk It Over

How does pride keep you from acknowledging the root of your problems?

Why do we so often think we know better than God what is best for us?

What do you think God wants you to do after you face the truth about the problems in your life?