The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon

“So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin.”

—James 4:17

In this world, it’s common not to face up to something we’ve done until we’re found out. Many people only seem to regret the fact that they got caught, not the thing itself.

But this verse moves into our thoughts, motives, knowledge, and actions. We can avoid what God has asked of us on the outside without anyone else ever knowing about it, but that doesn’t absolve us if we’re neglecting the Lord’s direction.

Sometimes we hide from what he asks us to do. Like Gideon, we’re afraid to stand up to the enemies of God. Like Saul, we don’t want to face our sin. Like Jonah, we run from God’s command to witness to evil people.

But we’re never really hiding.

God doesn’t have to catch us in the act of doing something wrong or avoiding what he’s called us to do. He sees it all from the beginning. If there’s something we refuse to give up at his leading, a particular sin we won’t let go of, or something we avoid doing though the Lord’s clearly directed us to do it, it’s just as sinful now as it ever will be, whether another human ever knows about it or not.

Gideon eventually conquered his fears through the Lord’s gentle assurance. Saul endured the consequences of his sin, though we never see him take responsibility or repent for it. Jonah obeyed the Lord’s direction after enduring discipline.

There’s no reason to wait to follow the Lord’s leading; obeying him always leads to a deeper relationship with him and a purposeful, blameless life that we will never regret.

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