About two weeks ago, I started a new medicine in the form of a patch. About a week later, I noticed I wasn’t looking forward to writing. I struggled to decide what to write and didn’t enjoy the process. A few days later, I noticed I was feeling weepy and on the verge of tears several times which isn’t like me. Was I depressed because of the various physical challenges I was dealing with?
Suddenly I remembered the medicine patch. I picked up my IPad and Googled the medicine, asking specifically whether it could cause depression. Sure enough it, and the entire family of drugs of which it was a member, can cause “psychiatric side effects, such as depression” and much worse things, none of which were on the list of side effects accompanying the medicine.
I promptly removed the patch. By the end of the day, the weepiness had subsided. Over the next few days, I felt better and better. I’m usually a pretty good detective about noticing symptoms from a new drug (and I never start more than one at a time), but these symptoms were so gradual I didn’t realize how bad I’d been feeling until I began to feel better!
The following Monday, I was excited again about writing the next day; and when Tuesday came, the words flowed freely once more.
All of this led me to think about how sin can gradually creep into our lives without us even noticing. We look at ourselves or others, caught in full-blown sin, and wonder How did this happen? It happened gradually. One thought that became a stronghold, one action that became a habit or a lifestyle.
In addition, just as the drug company had not been up front with me about some of the possible side effects, so Satan works hard to keep us from recognizing the terrible consequences our sin may have when we begin to recognize it. Ravi Zacharias says, “Sin will always take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.” So very true!
Psalm 19:12 says, “Who can discern his own errors? Forgive my hidden faults” (NIV). Because we are SO good at self-deception, we desperately need to routinely pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me” (Psalm 139:23-24). God knows what’s in our hearts, even though we may not, and the Holy Spirit can reveal it to us if we’ll allow Him.
Father, your words says you desire truth in my inner being (Psalm 51:6). Help me be honest with you, with myself, and with others so that you can make me know wisdom in my inmost heart. Alert me to any snares of the enemy and reveal the ultimate consequences my sin would have. Amen.
