Killing Sin: Conquer the One Thing That Is Defeating You

by Karl Clauson

Lori was dying to live. Kneeling in front of her refrigerator, tears streaming down her cheeks, she sensed something. The hand of God was reaching out to Lori, saying, “Put it all right here; you’ve carried this far too long. You’ve tried hard in your strength, and it will never work.” As Lori bowed low in a pile of brokenness, Hope knelt beside her. She thought, “Something is truly changing.” There was a reason for her optimism: “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Ps. 34:18). You’re never closer to God than when you’re at the end of yourself. After all the diets, fads, many thousands of dollars, and all the willpower she could muster, Lori would finally experience transformation. God would help her with “the one thing” and change everything. He had crowned her years prior with salvation, and now He would drape another victory over her. But why? Why in the world did Lori have to get to this point? After many years of following Jesus, I’ve discovered something you must hear: God can only flex His strength within us when we learn to embrace our weakness. Jesus told the apostle Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). In her spirit, Lori began to hear the Holy Spirit speak through her newly embraced weakness, “That’s enough, Lori. You’re full enough. Split this entrée with your husband. You’re full now, so put the rest away.” They were words of unwavering love. Was it up to Lori to re...