When You Feel Stuck (cycle of sin)

Do you ever feel like something is off? Suddenly, the actions that seemed fun, or were an escape, are not helping you anymore. Maybe you’re starting to feel guilty about drinking or using something to help self-medicate. Maybe you are finding you don’t want to deal with attention from guys anymore, especially if it’s negative. On the other hand, maybe you have tried to change your ways, but you always end up coming back to what you are used to. The reasons may vary as to why. You may not think you have the strength or motivation it takes to develop a new healthy habit. Maybe change is too uncomfortable, so you stick with the way you have always dealt with situations in your life. Or maybe seeing other people overcome their struggles just reminds you how hard it is for you to overcome yours, so you go back to self-medicating, even after a short period of reflection. Well, for starters, you never know what people have gone through to get to the other side of their problems. In addition, you probably still do not know what they are dealing with to continue on the better road. You may personally think that no one will understand you and want to come help you out of your mess. This could be leading you to cling to the support of drinking, partying, inconsiderate friends, and hook-ups.

If this doesn’t relate to you, I am sure there other areas in your life that you feel you need to improve, or to let go of, to get out of a cycle you feel you are in. The Bible describes it this way in the book of Romans 7:15,17-18, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate..So not it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, this is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” I think everyone is able to relate to this at one time or another in life. Those verses being included in the Bible all those years ago, gives us insight into the fact that the feeling and frustration of what was described is not foreign to humanity. The first thing that needs to be stated is that you have an enemy. Your enemy is the devil. He is the one who brought sin, pride, and the fall/damage into this world. The enemy is the reason that God sent His Son, Jesus, to come live a perfect life in our place, but die taking on the sins of the entire world. The devil knows exactly what buttons to push in your life to make you go back to the bond that you feel is negatively affecting how live. Therefore, it is a tactic of the enemy to have you turn back to your sin and stay in bondage. However, Jesus fought the fight that we could never win against the enemy by ourselves. Jesus rose on the third day from the dead and defeated sin, death, and the devil. In other words, Jesus defeated anything that could be victorious over you, or that could keep you away from your God-given purpose as an image-bearer of God!

Jesus made a way out for you to be able to follow His example and instruction!

And just like this picture, Jesus is still on the lookout to help those in need!

Jesus endured emotional and physical hurt and suffering, betrayal by close friends, persecution by many, humiliation in front of all, and so much more. For these reasons, the book of Hebrews goes further to say, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). You see, Jesus understands your deep-rooted hurt and habits. He came to save you from your sin because He knew, on a big scale, the effects of it and yet was not overcome by it. As much as Jesus is a Savior, He could also be described as a wounded Savior. The reason Jesus went through all of that pain and suffering, to the point of death, was to offer you, and anyone else, a way out to be rescued. Romans 5:20 encourages us that “..where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” So, with God knowing all of your sins, He still extended His grace towards you so He can cover them all! A follow-up to the Hebrews verse stated above tells us how we can accept the access Jesus has given us to God the Father. Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” In addition, Hebrews 5:2 states how, “He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.” Now, no one is exempt from being described as “ignorant and wayward,” until they have met, and begin to live for, the One who saves us from that way of living. If you feel like you aren’t worthy enough to come to Jesus, you are in the right place. No one is worthy.

However, through the actions of Jesus, His life and death, we are forgiven and worthy!

Look to the light of Christ and what He’s done because you’re covered!

Romans 5:8 explains that “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God, by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life.” Only when we cling to, and identify with, Jesus can we “draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace in time of need.” God wants and accepts us, at our worst, and He desires for our hearts to be surrendered to His love and work.First Corinthians 10:13 tells us that “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” It is important to operate not out of your ability to be faithful, but out of God’s ability. God knows what every person has to endure, but He wants you to learn to endure it with Him. God wants you to understand that He can relate to you, and that He won’t leave you, since He provides the way out for you. All you have to do is come to Him and follow His way! In addition, 1 John 1:9 encourages us that, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” You see, nothing is held against you as long as you look to Jesus for help and forgiveness. This is simply because our salvation (or rescue) and redemption is not based on what we have or have not done. As stated in that section of Romans chapter 7, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19). The sole focus is to stay on God, who He is and what His Son has done! What Jesus did was a gift for us, and should we choose to accept it, then we can operate out of all that comes with it! God provides us with His peace, love, forgiveness, hope, patience, strength and so much more!

Wouldn’t you want to connect to the God who gave everything to be with you and help you through this life?

God says in Isaiah 41:10, “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” THAT is the God who can save you from all that you feel is overwhelming you! God gives His personal assurance, and strength, that He will be with you to help you through any problem. He wants you to come to Him, to confess your sins and struggles, so to receive His help and forgiveness. In addition, God always encourages having people around you that He can use to help. Accountability and good community is huge when you begin to turn from your old ways to seek God and live life for Him! James 5:16 puts it this way, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” It is good to be with other believers and to, eventually, open up about what you are dealing with. I guarantee if you ask God to help change your friend group and community, He will put people in your path, or guide you, so that you can grow with other Christians. Every person has in some way gone through the process that you, now, feel alone in. However, when you find Jesus, you realize He is the best friend you could ever have! Jesus knows and loves you like no one else can! So, yes, you have an enemy, and he can do some negative work in your life if you continue to let him. Therefore, when you feel defeated, remember that you can turn from your sin, when you turn to God. Then, you can begin to walk in the victory that Jesus has won for you! He has overcome all that you feel is overcoming you, while relating to you right where you are! All you have to do is believe in what Jesus has done for you and identify with what He did to be able to call you, forgiven, loved, worthy, and a child of God! God will take you coming back to Him again and again, just as long as you continually seek Him and trust that He is bigger than anything that tries to come against you.