Sin and Conviction by Shalene

Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 NKJV

I have been convicted of my sin. One of them anyway. You see I have 4 wonderful children that shape my life everyday. Perhaps, even more than I shape theirs, sometimes. Recently, my eldest daughter, who is 14, asked my husband about something we both do that is a sin. About why we do it, if we know it is a sin. (By the way, that sin is continuing to smoke, though we both know it is something we should not do. We both know that we are dirtying up our "temple," and we have both been led by the Spirit that quitting is something we most certainly should do. And yet we haven't. The other reason that this is a sin is that any addiction will become your Master. The bible teaches us that we are to have one Master in our lives and that is God. This is the other reason it is sinful.)

We both know it is bad for us, and we both know to continue is a sin. So why do we do it??? We are both such hypocrites, and teaching our children to be as well. So having said that, I'll ask for all or your prayers right now, because we're both quiting. I've never had a problem quitting while I was pregnant or nursing, but I always went back to it when all was said and done. As of right now, I'm not pregnant (that I know of) so I don't have an easy way out. (The Good Lord sees fit to make me sick very quickly into a pregnancy if I smoke, so I don't.)

I am ashamed to admit this sin to you all, I must admit. How is it then, that I can be ok with it in the face of my children? It's not enough that I don't smoke in my house or in my car, or next to them, or that I try not to set a bad example by doing so around other people's children. My children should be my first priority in teaching them to be Christ followers. Smoking certainly isn't teaching them to lead a pure life.

Is there any sin in your life, that you justify each day? One that your family and/or loved ones know about that you keep hidden from others? Just keep in mind that while it is no one's place but God's to judge you, your children will learn what you teach them.

--Lord, I pray today that you give me the strength to withstand the pull of this addiction, and that you give me the serenity to remain calm, even when the withdrawals are at their peak. I thank You Lord for giving my daughter the wisdom, and spiritual maturity to convict us of this sin. I pray that you will continue to work in her, and in us, so that we can go on teaching all our children Your ways. I pray that we will lead them to You, despite our shortcomings. And Lord, I pray today that the others out there that read these words, also are uplifted and encouraged to release whatever sinful addiction they have in their life. I pray these things in Jesus Holy Name. Amen.