Do you love God more than that sin that’s enticing you? Is obedience to him more valuable to you than that good thing you desire but don’t properly have? None of us trusts him perfectly, but reflect on the goodness of his character and providence, and, through the power of the Spirit, your ability to resist sin will increase.

I just heard this brilliant description of sin on the White Horse Inn podcast, in a comment by Justin Holcomb:

What you see in Adam and Abraham’s story is that sin is motivated by a dissatisfaction with God’s providence and the attitude that God is somehow withholding something good from his people, so that they have to take the action on their own.

This is exactly what I’ve discovered. It’s when you think you’re missing out on something good that you try to grab things God hasn’t given you in a way he hasn’t allowed. You think you’re missing out on something wonderful and that you need to rectify that situation in order to have a truly fulfilled life, when in reality, the only way to truly miss out is by not being obedient in the situation God has you in right now. Even if that means there are some good things you will not have.

The Highest Way to Live

Living in obedience in your situation is the highest way to live. As soon as you’re disobedient—as soon as you try to take things that aren’t properly yours—you have made your situation worse. It doesn’t matter how good the things you want are in themselves; you will only miss out in life if you try to take those things in a way that goes against God. Better to live without them altogether than to debase yourself and dishonor God by taking them.

I can’t help but think of C.S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew, where he powerfully illustrates this idea when Digory is tempted by the White Witch to break the commands of Aslan and steal an apple that would save his mother’s life. The temptation to take something good in the wrong way almost overwhelms him as she tempts him:

“Do you not see, Fool, that one bite of that apple would heal her? You have it in your pocket. We are here by ourselves and the Lion is far away. Use your Magic and go back to your own world. A minute later you can be at your Mother’s bedside, giving her the fruit. Five minutes later you will see the color coming back to her face. She will tell you the pain is gone. Soon she will tell you she feels stronger. Then she will fall asleep—think of that; hours of sweet natural sleep, without pain, without drugs. Next day everyone will be saying how wonderfully she has recovered. Soon she will be quite well again. All will be well again. Your home will be happy again. You will be like other boys.”

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