Many of us accept the fact that sin surrounds us. It’s no secret that the world is corrupted and distorted. Our responsibility, however, is not necessarily to ignore sin and ignore the way that it affects us, but rather to realize the way it affects us and our spiritual walk. 

Look back on the last few days and examine your thoughts, your actions, the words you have spoken, the television shows you have watched, the music you have listened to, and the things you have purchased. For some of us, maybe these things aren’t considered all that bad—especially by the world’s standards—but are they pleasing to the Lord? Do they edify our flesh or our spirit?

For some of us, maybe we think too much about the future, who we will marry, what kind of car we will drive, how big our house will be, or even what career we will have. But thinking too much about the future damages the present. It affects how we live on a day-to-day basis. After all, it is not our job to dwell too much on the future. It’s in the Lord’s control. Of course, we can have dreams and do all that we can to accomplish goals, but we can’t fret about the future. We must live in the present and allow the Lord to control the future.