Welcome back, Lies Young Women Believe Summer Book Club readers! We are digging deep into This Changes Everything: How the Gospel Transforms the Teen Years by Jaquelle Crowe. This week, we dug into Chapter 4: Our Sin.
Let’s Keep Reading
A few years ago, I was really struggling with some “acceptable” sins in my life. I was struggling to trust God with my future. I was struggling with worry. I was struggling with fear. I was struggling to be honest with myself and acknowledge that I was a sinner in need of God’s saving grace and power in my life. I knew in my heart that I was a sinner in need of serious grace, but I didn’t want to admit it to myself or to God. I didn’t like the idea of being a sinner. I wanted to be a good girl. I wanted to be above all of that “sin stuff.” During this time of struggle, God opened my eyes and showed me the beauty of the gospel. I was reminded that Jesus came, died on the cross, and rose three days later to save sinners like myself. He didn’t come for perfect people; He came for broken people. Just like me. (Just like you.) A lightbulb went off, and I was reminded of how important the gospel is for “good Christian girls” like myself. We need the power of God in our lives, just as much as everyone else does. In Chapter 4 of This Changes Everything, Jaquelle reminds of us of several important truths. She points out the fact that sin is a really big deal. We should hate all sin. All sin. She reminds us that the acceptable sins, those sins that may seem like no big deal to us or to others, are still sin. Gossip is sin. Lust is sin. Worry is sin. We need to choose to call it what it is and proactively rid it from our lives. As John Owen says, “Be killing sin or it will be killing you.” My favorite part in this chapter was on page 69 where Jaquelle shares Five Ways to Fight Sin. She shares five practical and down-to-earth strategies to help you apply the gospel and fight sin.
Five Ways to Fight Sin
- Feed on the Word.
- Hate sin.
- Repent (a lot).
- Be accountable to people who love you.
- Be humble.
(Be sure to read chapter 4 for a full explanation on each of those points.) When it comes to your own life, how are you fighting sin? Are you implementing any of those five strategies we read about this week? Let’s end this week's study with a super encouraging word from the book:
The sovereign Creator who spoke this world into existence is transforming us. He is working today. He will work tomorrow. Because the Son of God became like us and died for us, we can become like Him. We can have victory over sin.
Keep reading This Changes Everything along with us all summer long. Hop back on the blog next Monday for a video update from Erin on Chapter 5: Our Disciplines. We can’t wait to see you there!
- What are some ordinary or accepted sins you struggle with?
- What steps can you take to root them out?