Question: God knows I like getting my own way. Does He really expect me to change my ways?

Answer: Yes! God commands us to put Him first, not ourselves. In Exodus 20:3, the Lord says, “You shall have no other gods before me.”(NKJV) So, if getting your own way means doing something that displeases God, then He expects you to change. For example, if you prefer to keep siding with people, organizations, or things that promote sin, rejecting the commands of God, He expects you to change. If you don’t, you are making these things into idols or “little gods” in your life. You are choosing to put these things ahead of pleasing the true and living God. This is wrong! God expects us all to repent and turn away from all sin!

So, what would prompt Believers into wanting to support these sinful things anyway? Well, sometimes it’s because changing our way of thinking can be hard. An example of this is when we really like someone and don’t want to acknowledge any fault in them — even when they promote sinful things. We may make excuses for why the sins they are promoting really aren’t that bad. We may rationalize that other folk out there are doing worse things. Those other folks may be doing worse things. But we still must admit that the sinful behaviors of the people we like are also wrong. If we don’t repent, we will have to answer to God for calling these sinful people good and giving them our support. God says in His Word: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil…” (Isaiah 5:20a)

Another reason Believers sometimes call “good” what God says is sinful is because we don’t want to be seen as unintelligent, anti-social, or hateful by the world. But by studying God’s Holy Word, we learn what our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had to say about this. In John 15:18-19, Jesus says, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” Jesus goes on to say that those who treat you this way do it “because they do not know Him who sent Me.” (v.21) In other words, the world does not know and follow God.

Even when you hear people who promote sin say things that appear to affirm God, they are in reality working against God. You need to turn away from following after such people. Repent of your sins and pray for God’s Holy Spirit to help you live for Christ.

Remember that you will never be perfect. Only Jesus Christ walked on this earth and never committed any sin. Therefore, when you fall short and sin, ask Jesus to forgive you and repent. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Likewise, pray that you will be honest with God. Ask Him to reveal to you what you need to repent of today. Jesus said, “…Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) Jesus also said that “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7) That’s how much God loves you and cares about you.

So, do what is pleasing to God. Repent today!