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Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

1 John 3:4, ESV

The world tells us to “be true to yourself.” This is the way of sin. It’s not always doing really bad things, but constant self-help or focusing on doing the things that bring you joy and pleasure isn’t the way of God. Loving and caring for others can bring joy and pleasure, but it often is sacrificial because not every moment is fun and games. If we are “true to ourselves,” our true nature is to avoid the uncomfortable. If we live purely for self, even helping another can be done to fulfill a sinful nature. We know those who place themselves in a caregiver position do so because they now have power over another person and can impose their will on them. To serve self is not to serve God, but to serve our sinful and lawless nature. Our Lord calls us away from such practices and seeks to bring us into practices that come purely from the Lord. This comes as we submit all things to Christ by laying them before the Lord and seeking His guidance, as we then seek to reflect His peace.

Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.