Some thoughts going on today:

When I sin, when I turn from God, when I choose not to listen, when I choose to do my own thing, when I listen to my own desires.........I not only let myself down and my God down, but I let the people that need me down, too. I let down the people I should/am called to pray for, I let down friends that want to spend time with me, I let down people whom I am called to encourage, I fail to bring God's love and message to people who are counting on me to deliver it to them (but they just don't know it yet). Today, I had the privilage to go to

Ginghamsburg church

, and though it was really really hard for me not to be judgmental, I did try not to be (and I won’t get into some things about the church that kind of upset me….trying to focus on the good things), and the pastor had some really awesome truths to bring to me. One had to do with temptation and sin…..he said “there is no personal sin,” basically meaning that no matter what sin you commit, it affects your life, and therefore affects everyone around you, even people you haven’t met yet. I never really thought about it this way, but God has a perfect plan into which we all fit, and so if I sin, in some way or another, I’m letting other people down, whether that be non-believers for whom I should be praying, or believers who need my support, encouragement, and prayers. It sheds a whole new light on the area of sin for me. People need me…and I need them…..and I’m messing things up when I don’t follow God’s will for my life. Hmmm Hmmm. It also seems to fit perfectly into the scripture that says

we are not our own

…….we are God’s and at his command….we are now

slaves to righteousness.

Most of the time, I don’t feel like a slave to His righteousness, but I desire it. As Jason once said in a song: “press on.” I must keep facing the day, pressing on, trying to reach this goal…and become a slave more and more every day to His will so He can use me for His plan. That’s exciting, isn’t it? At least…it should be.