Jesus Paid it All

A wise friend of mine once told me that you can't control your circumstances or the way other people act, but you can control the way you respond to them.

That has stuck with me for many, many years.  And each time I find myself traipsing down the rabbit hole of sins that I struggle with, I hear that again in my head.  I can make the choice to follow the trail of destruction or turn around and go the other way.

I want to say that I'm a good person and don't have too many struggles in life.  After all, I was raised in church and married a Godly man.  We are still in church regularly & I serve the children and women of our church every week.  I don't cuss, don't drink, don't smoke, haven't ever done drugs.  I was a virgin on my wedding night.  Heck, I can't even watch movies with a lot of yuck in them without blushing or feeling 'dirty'.  I work in the school system and our kids are 'good kids'.  My husband has been in law enforcement & ministry.  We are the picture of sweet, honest, "good" people, right?

But being a "good person" doesn't make me righteous or clean or pure.  Being a "good person" really does nothing for me other than give me a standard to attempt to live up to---and presents a front that other people see.  Deep down, I am just as filthy and dirty and disgusting as a thief, murderer, liar or cheater.

Isaiah 64:6  All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

This past week I have battled one of the areas of life where I struggle.  I don't intend to get into the details of that here.  It doesn't matter what my sin area is.  We all battle something in life, whether it is addiction or lust or lying or whatever! I've been reminded again that while my circumstances might be out of my control, only I can make the choice of how I respond to it.  Tonight I can not get this old hymn out of my head.  I pray it blesses you as well.