A Dangerous Habit
Bible Reading: 1 John 1:5-9
Author: Pavel Derdukov (Moscow, Russia)
Author: Pavel Derdukov (Moscow, Russia)
Sunday 30 August 2026 © The Upper Room.
I spent a week in a village by the sea.
The air was fresh and pleasant, the sun and the sea were warm, and the surroundings were peaceful. When I returned home to Moscow, I wanted to cover my nose at the railway station.
The smell of car exhaust fumes and drunken people attacked my nostrils. The air in Moscow was terrible. I longed for the fresh air by the sea. However, a week later, I no longer noticed the difference. I got used to the city air, which seemed completely normal, though it was actually harmful.
When we first encounter a sin in our lives, our reaction may be like mine at the railway station. The danger is that as we ignore our own sin, we no longer sense the stench of sin in our life.
It seems normal. Failing to see the sin, however, does not remove its harmful consequences. But God promises that if we confess our sins we will be forgiven and made whole.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your mercy in forgiving our sins. Holy Spirit, bring us the fresh breeze of grace that cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Amen
