It doesn’t take much. It seems that old habits die hard.
Just like that, I fall back into sin. It’s the same old thing, over and over. The things I want to do I don’t do, the things I don’t want to do I cannot helping doing with repeated diligence.
It’s like the soaps I got once for a gift. They were beautiful, locally made soaps that I had been eyeing for a long time. As quickly as I unwrapped them is as quickly as I started using them.
I enjoyed them every time I showered. I inhaled them. I delighted in them as I lathered up.
I felt pampered every single time.
Until I noticed some red, itchy spots on my skin.
Must be a bug bite.
But those itchy spots grew and become painful.
Must be my laundry detergent.
But then the pain and discomfort became too obvious to ignore. Was it time to visit the doctor?
And then it hit me.
No, couldn’t be. Right? Could it really be the soap? I stopped using them and waited. Sure enough my skin cleared up. With great disappointment I moved the soaps from the shower to a pretty soap dish. At least I could still smell them.
Over time my skin healed up and I forgot about the whole thing. Until the day we ran out of hand soap. Completely forgetting my earlier issues, and in an effort to be frugal I decided to use the beautiful handmade soaps. It didn’t take too long for me to be reminded why I stopped using those soaps in the first place. Raw red rashes quickly broke out on my hands. I knew I was in trouble when I found myself digging through our church’s refrigerator looking for any kind of oil or butter to rub on my raw, painful skin. I made a special trip to the store that day for new hand soap and some cream to heal my skin.
And so it is with sin; just like that, we fall again. Sometimes sin seems harmless, initially it might even look good. So we dive in. And then we remember.
I go around and around the same mountain, but I often forget the lesson. Thankfully, I’m not doomed to suffer endlessly. I have a rescuer. And he always comes-every single time. But I have to put down the soap. I have to walk away from the sin. I make the choice to turn around, repent, allow restoration, and wait for the healing.
And that’s why I’m so grateful that I have not only a rescuer but a redeemer. I have a Savior who lifts me from the muck and then heals me from the damage. Sure, the soap was pretty, but it was also dangerous. The appeal of sin can seem too much to ignore, but the remembering draws back. It draws us back to the redeemer, back to the reason we turned around in the first place. It draws us back to grace.
When sin entangles, there is hope. When we’ve been there and done that too many times to count, there is forgiveness. When the effects of our choices are painful and ugly, there is grace. And when I fall, and then fall again once more, I always have my God who will indeed pick me up and save the day.
By Gina, Not So Random Stuff
Glo says
Beautiful, beautiful…I am learning to walk away from sin, to not wait for the painful reminder of sin’s consequences.
Gina says
You’re welcome! I think that’s a life long journey we walk out-always choosing to walk closer to Jesus and farther from sin.
Blessings on your journey!
Andrea says
This made me smile this morning! And nod! Thanks!
Gina says
Thank you!
Have a blessed day!
lynn says
AWESOME!!!
Ellie says
I really appreciated this post…and I love the analogy of sin and the soap. This is a lesson that I’ve been learning in my own life. Thank you for sharing!
Gina says
Thank you! I think that’s a lesson we get to learn all of our lives-lets pray we all learn it quickly! And practice or daily!
Kaitlin says
BEAUTIFUL illustration. I love this. Fantastic.
Blessings!
Gina says
Thank you!
Blessings to you too!
Lilly says
Awesome illustration!
Jess says
“I have not only a rescuer but a redeemer.”
“When sin entangles, there is hope.”
Those two statements have always carried me through in life. He has made those so real to me. I’m thankful for all the attributes that the Lord has, but Redeemer is my favorite one.
Gina says
I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately-I am so grateful for the redemption and rescue that the Lord offers us. So grateful and changed by it. He is good. That’s all there is to it.
Emily M says
Love the analogy!
Beth Williams says
Gina,
Wonderful analogy!!! 🙂
This is a tough lesson to learn, but learn it we must! Sin is just waiting around every corner and prayer is our best effort to thwart it off and not have the sting/rash of it on us.
Lisa says
I really appreciated this analogy. I’ve often thought of soap like our Savior, He washes away the sin. I always enjoy a different perspective.
Gwen says
Very good. I’m brain injured. This world is confusing. My swirling world of misunderstanding, over reacting in sorrow not anger, its got to be me says my brain as I’m the one not all right anymore. Yet then inhibitions of sharing Jesus and how He’s using some event in such a big way lets me share the interesting, heart wrenching story, but then how Jesus intervenes and so many times…and the person gets to hear of a God who sent His Son, and Jesus and the Living water…. And yesterday, very very weary from the appointments, this one over two hours away, I’m a vessel. Me. Broken. Not a full brain. Able to share Gods Word, and all about Jesus being the Living Water to another….and a harsh cruel word, accusations untrue, shatters my confidence that Jesus is using me. And I pray, oh God take me now. This world would be better. No more burden to others. I’m a heavy burden so they’ve all had me plenty long and they’d be lifted of all the work of me. I cried. God I want to die. On the very day I shared Jesus with a stranger (I get nudges from the Holy Spirit) and then my dear non Christian friend, who I share excitedly two more exciting ways God provided and opened doors that had long been closed in those people’s hearts but opened all because of the planning of this event, and my two year old Grandson who grabbed my. Bible and a movie Cars held less interest so off it went…and I told him God is love. Jesus loves Xander. As he asks me a question about the Word. I get to share about Jesus. As he opens hymnals to play the piano, I sing the words of praise…yet that very same evening I am rushed and shattered and want to just be gone by a vicious attack on my character by someone who knows God was using me. In your writing I see that I get to be restored to clear thinking. Though the hurt is there, joy robbed, in reading your post I see my Lord saying Gwen Yes You are of worth. I made you broken too. And you willingly share your faith for that is not broken. You are forgiven for your deep sorrow and confusion. That person admitted fault. You are not angry with that person so why be angry at yourself??? You are just as I want you. I know it hurts to be not well. But one day you’ll be made whole again. So I though still bruised and still confused, do see that satan of course would want me dead! People’s lives are changing because of it. Your post…you didn’t realize it would open this kind of floodgate to such a different kind of story but its helped me begin to realize not eveything is my fault because I’m brain damaged–those that twist it to be that way are using my disability to justify their cruel words and behavior. I’ve got The Lord fighting for me. I just stand still. Exodus 14:14. Not think I’m the one to die
Gina Detweiler says
I will pray for you. That you would begin to sense God’s redemption in the midst of your story, in your braveness and in your struggle may you see him made real. We are all broken in one way or another, but still he uses us. It’s hard to believe sometimes, but he does. And I pray he will continue to use you. And reveal his goodness to you.
Blessings. Many blessings upon you Gwen.