Tag: symptoms of sin

Papa John’s Pizza, pasta, bagels, and Krispy Kreme doughnuts. These are all forbidden items for someone like me! I used to absolutely savor every bite of my favorite foods. Unfortunately a few years ago I was diagnosed with Celiac disease. After the initial shock wore off, I had to accept the fact that I could no longer eat gluten: a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.

Ummm, and so what else does that leave me to eat? Isn’t there a pill I can take to treat this so I can keep eating what I want??

I had to immediately STOP consuming gluten….period! There was no cutting back slowly or working up to it over time. If you didn’t know, Celiac is an autoimmune disease. The body simply can’t break down gluten and if it is consumed, the lining of the small intestine is severely damaged. Once this occurs, your body can’t absorb any nutrients. Failure to stop eating gluten can lead to serious gastrointestinal complications, as well as colon problems and osteoporosis.

So, my dietary lifestyle changed dramatically. I have to read food labels like a detective. There are some items containing hidden gluten that are harder to figure out. Sometimes I’ve had to call a manufacturer to find out for sure if something is gluten free. I have to purchase many items, at a much higher cost, at specialty stores. And what about when I go out to eat? Ha! I always have sympathy for our server since my food allergy forces them to take more time, care and precautions in preparing my food! The one word of advice you’re strongly warned to abide by as a Celiac is this: IF IN DOUBT….DON’T CONSUME IT! For my own health, I MUST take these precautions or face the consequences of physical damage.

What if I took that same intensity of care in my spiritual walk in regards to SIN? What if I pondered my words and actions before I proceeded? What if I called on God in prayer in moments of doubt before giving in to temptation? Would my behavior change if I gave thought to the damage that would occur if I indulged in something sinful?

That critical thought seems so harmless yet if I continue to focus on it and don’t take it to the throne of God….it does damage to my soul.

Is it really that big of a deal to stay angry at someone who’s offended me? If I harbor anger and let it turn to bitterness…..it does damage to my soul.

And what about those secret sins? The ones that nobody knows about? Yes….they too damage my soul.

I am frequently guilty of putting more value on my physical body–something temporary–than on my soul–something eternal.

Sin is not just something temporary that goes away, disappearing after time goes by. If it isn’t confessed and acknowledged before our Heavenly Father then it continues to eat us up inside. We might not feel the effects of it right away, but it is still there ever so gradually tearing us up inside, gnawing at the core of our soul, going deeper and deeper until the effects become noticeable on the outside. Not just noticeable to us, but to those around us.

We are ALL allergic to SIN! There’s no way around it! We can’t just take a pill to treat the symptoms, we have to change our lifestyle by dying to self so the Holy Spirit can live through us victoriously. God offers this to us through FORGIVENESS through Jesus Christ!

So what is it for you dear friend? What sin are you most allergic to? What causes the most grief and pain for you? Are you trying to cover it up in hopes that it will go away? I challenge and encourage you to bring it before the throne of Almighty God! Don’t wait for it to fester and grow out of control. Bring it to Him today.

I Peter 2:11 “Dear Friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.”