As I thought more about growth being like a spiral (see yesterday’s post), I thought of how the earth orbits the sun. In that orbit, every year between August 9 and 13 when the Earth passes through the orbit of the Swift-Tuttle comet, we see the Perseid meteor shower. I always look forward to that.

Unfortunately, you and I don’t look forward to when we “orbit” on our growth spiral and hit up against our sinful tendency that hasn’t yet been completely overcome. I gave the example in my last post of my “all or nothing” tendency that is a part of my perfectionism. I will most likely “orbit” into my perfectionistic tendencies for the rest of my life, but praise God, it bothers me less and less. And I’m able to catch myself more quickly when I start to get hooked by it again.

I realized that I needed to say that there are indeed many sinful reactions that God does completely heal and give us the power to overcome. Not everything is going to continue to bother us as we spiral or “orbit” in our growth closer and closer to Him. But there are usually self-protective sinful strategies that we’ve devised which are so ingrained that they will indeed be a temptation for the rest of our lives.

But that need not discourage us. They will lessen and their power over us will diminish, even if they don’t disappear completely. And most importantly, each temptation is an opportunity to seek Him more deeply and depend upon Him more fully.

Where does your orbit bring you to that is a consistent and persistent problem? Don’t be discouraged but continue to turn it over to the Lord again and again.