Crouching at our door

This week I’ve been really thinking about life. Specifically, hurtful circumstances that many of my friends and family are going through. There seems to be so much pain and heartache out there, more than one can seem to bear at times. I’ve really been thinking about people hurting people, how I’ve hurt people myself and I’ve really been troubled with how much it goes on in the church body. It’s awful to say the least. If anyone should love it should be God’s people, right? After all, didn’t He say that He is Love? It’s very hard to watch someone you love be hurt by another. It makes me mad and at the same time, very sorrowful. Just this week, a very serious accusation was made about someone I love dearly that is a flat out lie. It was the type of lie that can destroy a person, a reputation, and a family as well. It just makes me sick. It’s very hard to see someone you love go through something like this. I can actually think of a few other situations much like this one.

I have found myself this week asking hard questions like, Why God? How could someone do these things? It’s one thing to hurt because of sickness or a loss but why do people hurt each other so bad? Why do I hurt people? Especially those I know well and love most? Why do we blow it off like it’s not a big deal or why do we try and justify our actions? God did answer that question for me. I was reminded of a verse from Genesis 4. It is the story of Cain and Abel, brothers that had both brought their offerings before the Lord. God finds Abel’s offering very pleasing but not Cain’s. Instead of Cain making this right, he becomes angry with both his brother and God. In God’s goodness, he comes to Cain and asks him why he is so angry and goes on to let him know that not all is lost. He can make it right, that’s how God works. He is patient with us and He wants us to see that we can make things right and that there is hope. But how often do we listen to Him? I don’t know about you, but I’m one who reacts on a whim, especially if I’m angry. God goes on to give Cain a warning. It was very insightful one at that. It comes from the story itself, and I was reminded that this was the answer to some of the questions I’ve been asking. God said this to Cain: “But if you do not do what is right, sin (wrong, iniquity) is crouching at your door, it desires to have you, but you must master it.” Genesis 4:7

Wow! Sin is crouching at our door like a wild beast ready to pounce on us and take us out. Now isn’t that a picture? Have you ever seen a lion crouched down waiting to take down its prey? It is a really intense thing. Sin desires to have us. Not to trip us up a little, but to have us, to posses us and to take over our lives. I don’t know about you but that seems like an awfully powerful statement and warning. I believe that God really wanted Cain to get the seriousness of this. If you read the rest of the verse, you will also see though that it was for Cain to choose. We get to choose weather sin will over take us. Will we let it? Or will we stand firm and not give into it? God says we must master it.

Cain doesn’t listen to God. He lets his anger burn to the point that he takes his brothers life. Really? Over something like this? Over something that God told him could be fixed? Yes! Many times I have refused to listen and my choice has been to let my anger burn. After all, I have a right to be angry and to feel this way. Been there? It’s hard. Have I taken somebody’s life because of it? Not in the literal sense but I have done much damage and caused a whole lot of pain to others. I can be so selfish!

This is why I’m seeing so many people being hurt: Because we refuse to listen to the grace of God and to see sin for what it really is. It leads to gossip (even on FB), lies about someone, grudges, un-forgiveness, emotional abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse and the list goes on. Then, we often try and justify our actions or blow them off like it’s nothing. I really want this to change in me. I really want to learn to listen and remember the reality of sin. This is my prayer for myself and for God’s people. I know others hurt us but I want to give that hurt to God. I don’t want to carry it and I don’t want it to turn into my own sin. I hate the ugliness of sin and how it makes me feel. Listen, holding forgiveness from others only makes us feel worse. Sin only makes us feel worse. Let’s listen to God’s grace today and let’s master sin.