Not a pretty sight... Not a pretty smell...
When there is a putrid smell that burns your entire respiratory system, all the perfume, air freshener, and AXE body spray in the world won’t get rid of the stench.The problem is that spraying these temporary solutions will not get rid of the disease type insidiousness of the repugnant abomination.
Doing the “cover up” method only prolongs the problem because it avoids dealing with the root issue. The only option is to find the source.
If there is a dead rat in the basement and that rat is not found and removed, the unpleasant wretchedness will only persist. There are a lot of dead rats in people’s lives.These rats come in unaware and may reside unnoticed. It may not even have occurred that a rat was ever present until it has less habitable living conditions and dies.
It appears that sin tends to work the same way in people’s lives. Sometimes sin takes root in ways that are unnoticable. It remains hidden as long as possible. A dead rat is better than a living rat, even though that doesn’t necessarily seem to be the case being that a dead rat is stinky.
The nice thing about a dead rat is that it is far more noticable and easier to track down and finally remove. Unfortunately, sin that has stopped being fed and has died is still a dilemma. There is still a permeating resonance that occurs when sin has been stopped but not completely removed from one’s life.
One example of a rather widespread and almost accepted stench is that nose-curdling putrescence known as pornography.If a person has a porn addiction they are vulnerable to it even after they have stopped feeding the cyclic process. They will continuously be reminded of the sin and be plagued with guilt until it has been removed in its entirety.Unless it is completely dissected at the root and then a better, healthier mentality comes in its place, there is a high chance that the stench and disgust that still remain will cause problems that affect other areas of life.
Sin can be covered up for a long while, but eventually the continual “band-aid approach” becomes ineffective. It is hard to be truly intimate when the stiffling odor surfaces.When the rat is found, not only must it be removed, but the area of entry must be cleaned, fortified and that space must be filled in with something impenetrable.
When there is sin, usually the lifestyle aspects that arise are only the fruit of what is a deeply embedded issue. The avoidance of another issue can be easily covered by another.
The porn addiction could be hiding deeply rooted insecurity. It could be a way to alleviate the pain of loneliness. It may be a way to evade a spirit of depression. It very well could start out in curiosity rooted in impatience.It may be rooted in a mentality of distrust; not being able to trust that there will be satisfaction found in a relationship with another.
Porn addiction and addiction to masturbation could be a result of previous relationships in childhood that belittled or excluded instead of affirming and encouraging. Seeking affirmation through self-pleasure may be a way of temporarily feeling worthwhile.
A rebellious spirit may lead a person to porn and other sexually immoral addictions because there may be a mentality that
No one is going to love me anyway, I’m not going to try to impress anyone.
Thoughts like… It’s the only thing that seems to remain consistent… may be rationalizing the addiction.Porn may become addictive because it is comfort and solace that temporarily relieves the stress, and problems being avoided.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Matthew 5:6
Sin is like a weed; it will keep growing back unless it is killed and removed at its root.It is suggested that a tree be planted where the weeds grow the most. The tree must be carefully tended and nurtured until it is strong enough to cut off all lesser things from growing underneath. The weeds cannot survive when competing with a tree.
A weed cannot stand being in the shadow of a tree.
Anything that offends the Holy Spirit is going to make it hard for Jesus to be within you. God will never stop loving you. Anything that is placed above God in your heart, mind, or spirit should be considered a sin.
Whatever takes your focus off of God is not worth your investment. Your time, money, and energy will be wasted.
You are God’s child and He wants to always be with you. Jesus Christ took all that sin on that cross and killed it. Separation from God occurs when sin is chosen over Christ.
Continually choosing separation from God by making sin more important is the gradual process that involves the ultimate decision of eternal separation.
Hell is a product of God’s gift of free will. He did not make Hell because he doesn’t love certain people; He allowed for a place that gave people what they wanted, eternity without God.
Satan is doing whatever he can to tear you away from the presence of God. You are in battle and God is for you; the enemy is against you.
The Bible is your Sword. Never go to battle unprepared.