Until we turn to Him for forgiveness

My ear aches.  I know what this is but didn’t think or hope it would happen.  Everything changed this week, and my nose is running.  In just a few days my eyes will start swelling, perhaps a stye will form, and all I will want to do is try to breathe deeply while not moving.  I know the end is near.

I have a choice right now though, I can fix this burgeoning problem before it gets too bad, but I don’t know if I will.  All it takes is one little allergy med, I need to take it for roughly two weeks every spring.  It is relatively cheap and available abundantly, but I don’t know when I will take it or if I will take it consistently.

Our spiritual lives can mimic the change in seasons we physically experience.  A gray November day can be depressing and sad, the warm sun on a spring day can be a promise of new growth and joy in the Lord.  Each season or weather change can be used as an allegory to discuss our spiritual live, but what is season of our lives is allergy season?

I would argue that allergy season is that time of year that is a blessing, we are seeing new growth, new opportunities, a renewal of the spirit.  Then all of a sudden, a little sin creeps into the growth, something that we haven’t dealt with that God is trying to deal with us on, but we don’t take the hint and it feels more like an inconvenience.  That little bit of sin works its way into every area of our lives until it incapacitates us.

We know how to resolve the little sin, but often we let it fester until it becomes unbearable.  God allows us to wallow in our sin, until we turn back to Him in repentance.  Romans 1:28 states, “Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.”  God lets us continue in our sin until we turn to Him for forgiveness.

It might be the best time of our lives, but we still have a need to guard against sin.  Sin can begin subtlety with just a little warning, but soon, like my allergies, if left unchecked it will blossom into an incapacitating trap.  The solution is simple though, we turn to God, confess our sins, and be restored to right relationship with Him.

I know a lot of people don’t want to talk about sin in our own lives, but that is the life of the believe a constant life of confession and turning to Jesus.  1 John 1:8-9 tells us, “8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Allergies and sin may start off small, but they require a solution.  For allergies we can take a pill, for sin we need to humbly approach the Savior and ask for the forgiveness that is readily available.  He is ready to heal and forgive.