Sin can slip into our lives on little cat’s feet, entering unnoticed to sit quietly in a corner and grow. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit is very much aware of these intruders in the Kingdom and knows when to bring which ones to our attention.

As we came home from the Middle East and had two weeks in the States to prepare for our classes for new workers, a serious sin crept into my life, disguised as diligence. But  God had me meditating on Colossians 3 in preparation for the exposure.

After our arrival, I set to work on different projects, laboring from early morning until late in the evening. I got a lot done. But, I was becoming more and more tired; there was tension in my relationships; my quiet times were not as deep; and I wasn’t sleeping well.

Then the Holy Spirit turned on the lights and revealed that I had become an idolater! Colossians 3:5 spoke clearly to this: “Put to death therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature,” and then goes on to list four sins, adding at the end, “and greed which is idolatry.”

There it was: I was being greedy to accomplish more and more, focusing on the things not done rather than on “the things above,” failing to turn goals, projects and desires over to God, instead seeking to do them in my own strength.

All the work I was doing was good but it was corrupted by my greed of wanting to do more and more rather than being thankful for what could be done in a normal workday. Doing the right thing for the wrong motive is not good.

Praise God that He is able to break through our delusions and give us clarity of vision, bringing us to confession and repentance, thereby bringing cleansing and freedom from the tyranny of the flesh. 

And just to make sure I got the message that slowing down is important, He let me break my toe so I had no choice but to limit myself! God is good all the time and shows His love to us in so many ways.

Any idol creeping into your life on little cat’s feet?