The old joke says, “Doc, it hurts when I do this.” The doc says, “Don’t do that.”

Problematic times turn thoughts toward God in prayer for solutions. His grace and kindness often deliver us from distress. What happens next declares the true condition of our hearts.

What happened next for King Jehoahaz and his people was a return to their former way of life that got them in trouble in the first place. Jesus had a remedy for this. He said, 

“See, you are well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.”
‭‭John‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Deliverance from our troubles should be accompanied by diversion away from those things that got us in trouble in the first place. 

If we discover that sin hurts, maybe like Dr. Jesus says, we should stop that sin.

If a certain matter of disobedience continues placing you in peril or pain, . . . This is an intelligence test. This is also a test of a true walk with God. Assess yourself and proceed more intelligently, more closely in step with Jesus.

Jesus taught us how to pray about matters like this:

”And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’“
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The Message paraphrases this verse this way: “Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.”

We can seriously uncomplicate our lives by doing the right thing first, foremost, and finally. 

—

I will stop unnecessarily causing pain to myself and others by repetitive sin.

—

Our Father, most of the problems and pains of my life are my fault. You rescue me, you restore me, and then I get in trouble all over again by returning to the problematic behavior that placed me in peril in the first place. Keep me safe from myself and from the evil one. Amen.