Naturally speaking, we gravitate towards doing the wrong thing – not the right thing. The wrong thing is often the easiest to do. The right thing is invariably more difficult. But you will never be the loser in the long run for doing the right thing.
While scholars explain the differences between proclivity, propensity, and tendency to sin, we will leave the nuances of the English language for grammarians to sort out. They are qualified to be authorities on such pivotal and weighty matters. The practical reality is — the inner pull to do the wrong thing is common to all.
If there were no consequences, if we’d never be caught, if our conscience would never nag us and if guilt feelings would never overtake us — there’s no limit to what ‘wrong’ we might do. Sin has damaged us at our very core. The dark energy inside me is called ‘the flesh.’ (Galatians 5:16-26) Yes, that negative energy resides in every believer — not just non-believers.
But a genuine Christian has a power within to override and overpower the dark workings of the flesh. That power is the Holy Spirit, Who lives permanently, without interruption, within every believer. It is not that we have access to the Spirit of God on some occasions or in times of need. We have an even better arrangement. The moment anyone trusts Christ for salvation, the Holy Spirit (not a force but a Person!) comes to live inside that believer, and He will never leave!
So here’s the scenario: you are struggling with something. You are beginning to think that maybe it is wrong. Perhaps you should be getting out of something into which you have invested a lot of time and energy — perhaps even money. Maybe you’ve been pleasing yourself in some area of your life, but lately, you’ve been bothered about it. “Should I or shouldn’t I,” you ask.
You’ve been reading your Bible, and a verse convicted you, or you heard some teaching, and you had a strong feeling deep inside that you really need to change course. But you wonder: is changing course really worth it? You aren’t the first to ask yourself that question.
An ancient king in 2 Chronicles was planning to go to war against the enemies of God. King Amaziah wondered if his nation’s army was strong enough to pull it off. So, he contracted the services of another army to help out, and a deal was struck. Amaziah paid them over three and a half tons of silver for their assistance. No sooner had the deal been struck and the cash delivered than when a ‘man of God’ came to Amaziah and told him the deal was wrong and definitely not pleasing to the Lord. His advice was: “Get out of it!”
Then Amaziah said to the man of God, “What should I do about the 7,500 pounds of silver I gave to Israel’s division?” The man of God replied, “The LORD is able to give you much more than this.” 2 Chronicles 25:9 CSB
The man of God advised the King to go alone with just his own army and let the Lord fight the battle for them. But all Amaziah could think about were those wagonloads of silver that had already left the city.
“Yes, I hear what you’re saying, but I’ve already invested tons of silver in the other army. If I hadn’t already paid them, I’d obey the Lord – however, the chances of me recovering my investments are next to nil.”
That’s when the man of God uttered the statement that’s relevant for all times:
“The Lord is able to give you much more than this.”
Are you wondering how much you will lose by obeying the Lord regarding an issue on your mind lately? Remember the man of God’s words to Amaziah: “The Lord is able to give you much more than this.”
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You will never be the loser for bowing to the Lord’s desires for your life.