Application

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13

Hebrews says encourage one another daily so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Sin is deceitful. It twists itself and seeks to claim justification or an excuse or legitimacy for itself. It has to convince or entice. As I thought over this verse last night, I realized it's application this morning. I was so angry last night at something that I read. It's a continual source of bitterness that I find myself dwelling on often. I went to bed knowing my sin in dwelling and in not loving this situation through and with the love of Christ. I was letting sin enter my life and disrupt peace in Christ - as he is my hope and my worth! I slept really peacefully and deeply, but when I awoke I was tired and grumpy. This grumpiness shifted to irritation; lack of joy and just a blah attitude in general. I don't think I smiled much this morning. Compound that with the stuff that I read online (the news) in the morning and I was failing to see purpose in smiling. 

Now, where is the application of Hebrews? Sin is deceitful. It hardens our hearts. I spent hours last night trying to shrug off my frustration with this one thing I read, hours of trying to cast blame or accountability in some direction. I opened the door to a steady breeze of deceit. Trying to rationalize my sin or working through my sin without repenting on the cross deceived me. It's not enough to acknowledge the sin. It must be repented of. So, I awoke with a hardened heart. 

I'm thankful that Christ didn't allow me to dwell in this for too long. I'm retracing opening that door and closing it with the strength that is great enough to close it - the power of Christ. When Christ tells us

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23-24 

I begin to understand. I honestly feel a gap of insurmountable distance from Christ when I attempt to come before him with a bitter heart. I have to be humbled before I can dwell in the peace of the Lord. I pray that this in and of itself is not the deceitfulness of sin, but instead the urging of the Holy Spirit to lay it down and be made holy as he is holy.