Turning Toward Sin One Yes at a Time

The road to sin or misconduct typically isn’t a 90 degree turn. Someone doesn’t just wake up one morning and think, 

“I’m going to try cocaine today,” 

“Gaining 50 pounds sounds like a good plan—I’ll get started on that today,”

“I think I will cheat on my spouse today,”

“Maxing out my credit cards is my goal for this year,” or 

“I want to start yelling at my kids every day.”

Most of us would easily say no if the result was offered in that way up front. It is too big of a turn from our desire to generally be a good, healthy or wise person. 

No, the way most people end up down a destructive path is that they turn that direction in slight increments. 

It begins with one text from a coworker. Perhaps it is one extravagant purchase you use to bring you happiness after a heartbreak. Maybe it begins with buying a carton of ice cream on a stressful day, or one time when you lose your temper with your kids.

I recently listened to an Armchair Expert podcast episode (“Day 7” on September 25, 2020) where Dax Shepard spoke openly about his relapse into a prescription drug addiction. 

This episode was raw and impactful. Even though I’ve never used drugs, I can see how one small wrong decision at a time can snowball into a full-blown addiction, where you are deceiving those you love and lying to everyone around you. I admired his honesty and bravery to come clean and change his course before it was too late.

It made me think about the small choices that we are faced with every day—the decisions that “don’t seem so bad,” the bad behavior that “I can control,” or the choice that “I’ll just do this one time.”

Once we start pushing that boundary, it’s so easy to continue giving in to that temptation and get to a point where we feel powerless to stop the addictive behavior. At that point, we justify deceiving ourselves or those around us in order to continue the payoff or high. Our wrong yes may not lead to a drug addiction, but it may lead somewhere just as destructive—somewhere you would never choose if you could see where that path leads.

Let’s take an honest look at our life.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

• Are there any decisions I’ve made that I’ve felt a twinge of guilt about?
• Do I have any behaviors I only do in private?
• Am I doing anything that leads me to think, “I should stop doing this”?
• Where might this questionable behavior lead me if I continue it?
• Are any of my thoughts NOT noble, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy? (Philippians 4:8) Where are those thoughts leading?
• What sin am I being tempted with, one degree at a time?

When we truly examine the answers to these questions, I bet we have at least one area of our life in which we are being tempted to turn away from God and toward a negative or sinful result. We often know our weakness, and so does our enemy.

I have been down this slippery slope before. Maybe you have, too. I think it’s helpful to look back and track the series of wrong yeses that led us to a place we shouldn’t be. We must learn from those mistakes so we won’t repeat them. 

What can we do?

Consult with God. Ask God to reveal the choices you are making that will lead to a path of destruction if you carry on. We have strength in God, and he is great enough to help you say no. Pray continuously throughout the day so that you are in tune with God’s will.

Remove the temptation. End a friendship that is unhealthy. Refuse to go down the candy/ice cream/chip aisle at the grocery store. Unfriend, block or delete the person you are being tempted by; refuse to be with or talk to that person alone. Don’t go into a casino. Take a breath or turn away before losing your temper with your kids. 

Talk to someone. Find a friend, mentor, family member or counselor you can be open with and who will hold you accountable as you turn away from the temptation or path to destruction. Ask them to check in with you regularly and resolve to be honest with them, no matter how painful it may be. 

Arm yourself with scripture. In Luke 4, Jesus was fasting in the desert, and Satan came to tempt him. Jesus used scripture to refute Satan’s claims every time. You can do the same. Use scripture as a mantra or turn it into a prayer. Use scripture as visual reminders of God’s truth. Here are a few verses you might use:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (You might want to continue reading this scripture and visualize putting on the armor each day.)

Ephesians 6:10-11

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

1 Timothy 6:11

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Psalms 51:10

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 2:12

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalms 139:23-24

It’s not too late.

However far down a destructive path you may be, it’s not too late to be honest about where your decisions are taking you and correct your course.

No matter how harmless you think each yes is, the effects of sin are never solitary; it always leads to collateral damage to those around you. Stand strong and turn away from any temptation and path that leads to destructive consequences, for both your sake and for those around you.

Make sure your choices are leading you where you want to be in the future.

Lord, thank you for giving us strength, wisdom and guidance through your word and through the spirit. We know that we have weaknesses where we can be tempted to turn away from you. If we are heading down a path toward sin or destruction, please open our eyes and help us to turn back. Help us to guard our hearts and abide in you always. Let us glorify you in all that we do. Amen.

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Cover photo by Eric Ward on Unsplash