A few days ago I went running on one of my favorite paths in Bloomington. I adore it. It's so close to another more well-known path that this little trail seems almost forgotten. I love forgotten things, and taking the road less traveled. I greatly enjoy trying to bring the dead back to life, and to create paths where there wasn't one before. The ground on this trail is exceedingly narrow, overgrown with plants, and devoid of runners to trample the path back into submission. There are also a few exceedingly old bridges (probably my favorite part) that seem to barely hold your weight as you trek across them. Aesthetically, the path is absolutely breath-taking.
The problem is, this path is dangerous. On my first run here I fell in love with this quaint trail. Less than a few hundred feet in I looked down and saw a snake literally slithering alongside my feet. Rather than jumping in fear, I was surprisingly mesmerized by the snake and found it rather incredible that I could be so think in the brush and backwoods of Bloomington that I could run with snakes. I immediately was sold in coming back here for future runs.
The second time I ran down this path, I can't even explain on this blog the sad sight my eyes stumbled upon. It was sketchy and disturbing, and still I went back.
The third time I ran there I was chased down and attacked by a ferocious dog. And I'm not referring to a barking dog just warning me away from his home. I'm talking about a wild beast biting at my legs and feet, as we both dead-sprinted for at least 200 meters before he retreated and I nearly fell over in exhaustion. It took a while to get over this fear, but in the end, I went back in stubborn disobedience, even when loved one's encouraged me not to.
A few days ago I ran down this path again and I was attacked before I even made it to the trails entrance. I was chased down by a duck. Yes, you read that right, a duck... Before you laugh too hard, they get a little scary when they flap their wings at you, squawk, bite at your legs. Still, I ran on, heart racing, nervously laughing at the absurdity of what had just happened.
As I ran down the trail to it's end and back I ran past more than one sketchy-looking men, just sauntering around back there. Why in the world these men (who were not in running clothes) were back here I have no idea, but it was enough to make a girl's heart jump through her chest, and cause her to check behind herself while running multiple times to confirm no one was following her.
Upon exiting the path and taking off on safer roads for home, I realized that as beautiful as this path was, it always left me wrought with fear. A fear that held me captive and had become so strong that it robbed the beauty of this path from it's formerly serene landscape. And I couldn't help but imagine how similarly sin poisons are lives.
Some of the sin we engage in does open our eyes to beautiful things, but sin is still dangerous and not without consequence or fear. Satan tempts us through beauty and reals us in by literally slithering at our feet, charming us with his own beauty and mystery. And the problem is, once we are deceived and experience sin we often find ourselves wanting more.
Despite all the tell-tale warning signs we run on. For a while we press on in in naive ignorance. Then, we're so drawn to sin that nothing can stop us. Not spiritual attacks, not Godly counsel. We become stubborn, self-sufficient, and disobedient. It takes a while before fear sets in, but eventually, it takes over.
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear." 1 John 4:18
The only fear we should have is fear of the Lord.
I have decided that I will never run down that path again. No matter how much I try to justify it. It's not worth the risk. I realized this last night as I sat with a dear friend for three hours talking over and crying through the sin in her life. Sometimes we have to take radical steps to avoid sin.
Pastor Mark Driscoll gave a sermon on this very idea that completely changed the way I look at temptation.
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"Most of you don’t believe this: escape is always possible. What happens is, for some of us, the hook has been there so long that it’s like, “I can’t ever get free of it. I used to eat all the bait. Now, I eat some of the bait. I used to eat the bait every week, now I only eat the bait once a month.”
Or, “I eat the bait, but it’s my dad’s fault, he ate the bait too and it’s a habitual family issue. My counselor says it’s a genetic issue. I come from a long line of people who are addicted to this particular bait. I can’t really stop.” So, I need to blame someone else, manage it, and hide it. “Oh, I’ll just go over here in the dark all by myself and I’ll eat my bait and I’ll put the hook in my mouth. But, if I do it privately, it won’t count.” God’s there too.
See, some of you would take the bait and you’ll put it, you’ll walk so close to it. Like, “Oh my goodness, look at that. That’s amazing. I would like to eat that, smoke that, drink that, get my hands on that, do that twice.” God would say, “Hey, there’s a door over here that’s open and you could walk out it and be free.” “I don’t see any door.” “Really? Well, there is one right over there.” “Yeah, this is so big and so real and so awesome and so close.” God would say, “Do you see the hook?” “No, I don’t see the hook. I see some pretty amazing bait.”
The truth is you have two choices: the hook or the door. You either bite the hook or run out the door. Those are your only options. I’ll give you a verse, so that I can win: 1 Corinthians 10:13–14, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.” Don’t worship anything or anyone other than God.
What he’s saying is this. When temptation comes, keep your senses. Look for the way out. There is a door of escape somewhere. There’s a way out of it. Some of you have said for so long, “Well, I’m already dating them. I’m already at the club. I’ve already logged onto the internet. I already started this conversation, you know. I’m already halfway there.” Run. Run out the door of opportunity that God gives.
You have two choices, friends, the hook or the door. You bite the hook or run out the door. Your whole life, it utterly depends on the decisions you make in those moments. There’s always a way out. You and I, we love to always be the victim. “I couldn’t help it. It was not my fault, my friends blank, my life blank, this blank, God that.” No way. The door was open and your eyes were closed. Repentance is believing that. Some of you need to go back over your life history and some of the major traumatic decisions you made and say, “Holy Spirit, show me where the door was open so that I can repent of having my eyes closed. And please help me to keep my eyes open. And please help me to keep my feet moving.”
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Sometimes we can't step foot inside a room because we'll lose sight of the door of escape God provides us. I now understand the weight of temptation and sin, and would rather avoid the path, then fearfully hope I'll make it out unscathed.
God has another path for me that is just as beautiful as the first path, but will be even more beautiful because I will run down it free from fear.
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1
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