Rewire Your Heart: Replace Your Desire for Sin with Desire For God

by David Bowden

You know those times when you try not to do a certain sin, but you end up doing it anyway? It wasn’t your wish to commit that sin. Nevertheless, you still sinned. Why? Because you wanted sin more. Your heart wanted the joy promised by that sin more than it wanted the joy promised by the holy way of God.

It is your deep wants that God is after, because only your deep wants will truly change you.

Affections are the hardwired responses to what your mind perceives. When I say, you only ever do what you want, I mean, you only ever follow your affections. Your affections are what you love and hate. They are your rejoicing and your reveling, your despising and your detesting. They are what your truest self most truly treasures.

The problem isn’t just the act of sin. The problem is the desire for sin.

The Creator’s plan was trust, obedience, and grace. The serpent’s plan was action, autonomy, and work. Eve agreed with God on the what, but followed the serpent on the how.

You sin because your affections for the gospel are weak, while your affections for your own provision are strong.