Stick to It

I will cling to Your testimonies, O LORD, do not put me to shame. Psalm 119:31

A verse for when we are struggling with sin

God’s testimonies are very real and solid, something we can grasp with both hands and hold onto tightly, to avoid being knocked off course. When we are struggling repeatedly with a persistent sin, God’s clear commands are a strong bulwark against giving up and giving in. 

The word “cling” (also translated as “hold fast” or “stuck”) evokes a vivid picture: as static electricity holds a thread tightly against a piece of cloth, impossible to shake off; as glue attaches one piece of paper to another permanently; as a wedge is driven into a log and cannot be pulled back out, so we are to “stick” to God’s commandments. 

There are two ways in which clinging to God’s testimonies saves us from sin. First, we will not be drawn unwittingly into sin by the outside world, because we will recognize sin when we see it. Second, it will pull us away from our inward sins, by showing them to us as God sees them.

As I am fairly cocooned in a nice, safe, Christian community, insulated from “worldly” influences, I want to focus on this second aspect. This topic has been coming up a lot in my life lately, in church, in blog posts and books I’ve read, in podcasts I listen to, and in discussions I’ve had with other Christians, so that this verse caught my eye as I was reading. There are three sins specifically I’m going to discuss, as examples of how this “clinging to God’s testimonies” works: pornography, bitterness, and pride. These are all very different from each other, but they are all “inner” sins, things that affect our minds, things that those around us cannot necessarily see.

As a Christian young person, I hear and read a lot about pornography. With the advent of the internet, its accessibility has increased significantly, and Christian leaders are deeply concerned for their youth, as they should be. Now, some may be thinking, “This is an outside sin! This is something young people are drawn into by the influence of the World.” True, but not unwittingly, if they are grounded in the principles of God’s Word. Recognizing something is wrong and doing it anyway because we are too weak to resist it is one of the things that characterizes our inward sins. Also, the human heart is desperately wicked, and we are perfectly capable of dwelling on impure thoughts without any outside prompting. If you have struggled, or do struggle with this sin, use God’s words to combat it. When you are tempted, or when your mind starts turning in an unhealthy direction, cling to the Bible. Meditate on it, fill your thoughts with it, give your mind this to dwell on. 

Bitterness happens when we are offended, but rather than forgiving and releasing the offense, we hold onto it, replaying the scene in our heads, justifying our anger, and imagining our revenge on the offender. It often sneaks up on us, but even when we realize what is happening, it is hard to let go, and we find ourselves returning to the well-worn path of resentment despite our efforts. There is nothing like Scripture to wash away our bitterness. Apply it to your heart often, many times each day, and peace will fill you, leaving no room for fretting and animosity.

No Christian is completely free from the sin of pride while we are on earth. Even the best of our actions often have mixed motives, and when we dig deeper into our own thoughts, we see pride involved more and more. The best way I have found to stamp down pride is to contemplate the awesomeness of God. As we read His Word, striving to comprehend His righteous holiness, we will be humble before Him.

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“Mankind ought to seek for no other rule for the perfecting of holiness, but what consists in regulating their life by rendering obedience to the law.” —John Calvin