Why Sin is a Bad Idea

I keep a journal of thoughts and quotes usually triggered by something that I've read. I recently read and reviewed Dave Browning's book, Deliberate Simplicity. Dave wrote something about sin that I've never thought about before but it makes a lot of sense. I read it again today in my journal:

Sin is a waste of energy. Plain and simple. It's wasting your energy on things you can't have or can't control. And it's actually a double waste. After you waste your energy on things like lust and pride and anger, then you have to waste even more energy on things like guilt and shame and regret. Nothing is more de-energizing than sin. But by the same token, nothing is more re-energizing than obedience. It's pure energy. (p. 145)

When we are tempted to sin, maybe we need to consider what it will really deliver. Do I really want to spend my time and energy on something that I know God hates and that I will eventually regret? Sure it might be fun for awhile (See Hebrews 11:25) but ultimately it will destroy.

A few weeks ago, I asked a young lady how she was doing. "Not good," she shook her head.
"Oh? What's up?" I asked.
"I'm having an affair," she confessed.
"I didn't know you were married."
"Oh, I'm not married. He is," she told me. "I beginning to feel bad about it."
"It was fun for a little while wasn't it?" I said.
She looked at me funny. I don't think she'd ever heard a pastor say that sin was fun.
I continued, "The Bible says there is a measure of pleasure in sin but eventually it makes you miserable."
"Yeah," she agreed. "I'm miserable now. I need to break it off."

We continued to talk about her situation and how she should handle it. I prayed an honest prayer with her and moved on. My friend is an example of how the temporary pleasures of sin will eventually wear you out and disturb you to the point of misery.

Granted, sin is more than a waste of time and energy. It's disobedience to God. It breaks his heart. It builds a wall between us and God as well as his people. Sin is ugly and useless. It's never positive - always negative.

Thank God that Jesus has taken it and flung it as far as the east is to the west (Psalm 103:12). His grace covers our multitude of sins. Live with the pleasure of that victory in mind, not the momentary pleasures of sin. When we strive to focus each moment on being obedient and bringing glory to God in all we say and do, we don't have much time to think about sinning. When we don't waste time sinning, we have more time to shine the light of Jesus.