In our lives as followers of Christ we still struggle with sin. It’s not something we like to discuss because it shatters the illusion of perfection many Christians want to maintain but we have to embrace the reality that none of us can live a sinless life.
That means we need to be aware of the times during the day or week that we are especially vulnerable to temptations in our weakest areas. The weakness can run the gamut from overeating or procrastination to alcohol or pornography. I’m willing to bet that when you read “weakest areas” something popped into your head.
It could be late at night when you’re tired. It could be in the silence right after the kids or your husband leaves in the morning. It might even be when you show up at the buffet after church on Sunday and it calls your name for a second plate.
It doesn’t matter if it’s day or night. It’s those times when your mood darkens and you feel vulnerable. It’s important to recognize when those moments are and take steps to avoid those situations.
For example, if you find that late at night you’re more apt to give in to temptations then you need to find a way to schedule your nights so that you don’t have idle hours. Go to bed an hour earlier. Work on a project every evening during some set hours so that you’re not allowing yourself to dwell on the bad feelings. Even if it’s just cleaning the kitchen!
Yes, I could go all uber-Christian on you and say that you should immediately stop what you’re doing and pray and seek God…but I also know you can pray while scrubbing the floor. I know I do. So you can pray and do something else at the same time! Sometimes when you stop everything and start to pray if you can’t completely unplug from your troubles you’ll find your mind going places you don’t want to go. The motion of doing something other than kneeling in silence can help.
Obviously, if there is an issue that is continually bothering you then seeking a counselor to help would be a wise decision. That doesn’t mean you can take small steps in the meantime to combat those times of weakness.
In doing that, you’ll find that you’re being proactive rather than reactive in combating bad feelings. It’s a small step toward changing your outlook as you move forward into a better life!
