Proverbs 5 – loose the cords of your sin

Proverbs 5:21 For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord,
    and he ponders all his paths.
²² The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him,
    and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
²³ He dies for lack of discipline,
    and because of his great folly he is led astray.

In our great excitement for the things of God, in the passion of our faith and in our eagerness to share His Word, we sometimes often forget that God is also a god of justice.

God sees everything we do, nothing is hidden from Him. Take another look at verse 21. This is not a joke. All our thoughts, dreams, plans, all our actions are laid bare before the gaze of Almighty. We sin with impunity (or so we think) and then wonder why we struggle and suffer. It’s simple – there are consequences to our actions. Sometimes the consequences are immediate and painful, but when the effects of our sin are not outright and immediate we are lulled into a false sense of security, thinking we’ve ‘gotten away’ with it.
However, before we come before the throne of Grace to partake of that Grace, it is necessary and vital to confess our sin that we may be purified from it:

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Confession and thus repentance make a world of difference. I know, it’s hard. Some sin is stronghold and it can be next to impossible to break the hold it has over us. Note, I said next to impossible, which means we can be set free. That’s where Christ comes in. But you already know all this. So take this is a friendly reminder: if you’re not experiencing the peace and joy of God perhaps you are still holding onto unconfessed sin. It may be a weakness you have, something you struggle with but that you are enjoying too much to give up – an illicit relationship perhaps? It may be that you are harbouring ill-will in your heart, holding onto unforgiveness and bitterness. It may be that you are envious and jealous, or that you are a gossip and slanderer. You might be an adulterer, or a liar and a thief. Whatever it is, if you have not brought it to the foot of the Cross know that you are blocking your own blessings and not walking in victory. You are basically stealing your own joy.
The goal is to be more Christlike, bearing our crosses, confessing our sin. There is a world of difference between accepting your sinfulness then coming before God with an issue you are struggling with, and living with unconfessed sin. The former is what being a Christian is about; the latter will lead you down that wide path and be the death of you, in every sense of the word.
Examine your life. Accept God’s discipline and the leading of the Holy Spirit, repent and find life, abundant life.