Sins of the Heart

 “How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭19:12-14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

https://www.bible.com/116/psa.19.12-14.nlt

Sin is like a cancer.  It springs from within the heart and mind and manifests itself in words and deeds.  How do I control it?  Can I manage it?  Can it be stopped from spreading?

One thing that Father Larry advised me was to say a short prayer that I can use as a shield and protection when I am tempted or when there is an occasion for committing sin.  All sin is a conscious  act of the will with full knowledge and full faculty of the senses.  That means I am aware that I am choosing to turn away from God and embrace evil.  No matter how small or big the sin is does not change its nature.  Even a speck of dirt can blind the eyes and so a small habit of sin can destroy the relationship with God.

I pray, “Lord God help me for I am a sinner.”  I lay at your feet my total surrender to provide me with the strength and the grace to avoid the occasions and the call to sin.