Joseph
Chmiel

Contributing Writer

Joseph Chmiel has taught youth Sunday School for over 20 years. He started writing devotionals as a way to share God's blessings. He lives in Lakewood, California with his wife and three children. In his spare time, He can be found gold-prospecting somewhere in the Southern California deserts.

More from Joseph Chmiel

More from Joseph Chmiel

Sin Is a Prickly Pear

While on my morning run the other day, I found myself taking a different route around the neighborhood than usual. As I rounded one corner, I came across the biggest prickly pear cactus I had ever seen.

It was partly hanging over a low chain link fence into the alley. The plant was taller than me and must have had 100 red, ripe fruit on it. I had never tried prickly pear before, so this seemed an opportune time. I halted my run to sidle between some of the big cactus pads. I was cautious not to brush against any of their needles as I reached to collect one of the bulbs. What I didn’t know (and couldn’t see) is that prickly pear fruit are covered in very fine needles. I didn’t feel them as I was picking, but boy, I did almost immediately after. I gingerly held my prize until I got home and set it on the kitchen counter. I put on reading glasses to inspect the damage, revealing fingertips that resembled overfilled pin cushions. The plucking session went on for a good while.

It isn’t hard to draw parallels between my misguided cactus encounter and the sin process: We see something we desire (temptation), we act on it (sin), and we pay the price (consequence). Scripture lays it out similarly in

OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
,

“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” (NKJV)*

The progression of temptation, sin and consequence is evident, but fortunately, the last two need not follow the first. The Bible assures us,

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (
)

Our loving God limits the severity of temptation and supplies an escape. We can do our part to diminish its frequency by avoiding situations, people or places that make us susceptible to sin. We can also follow Christ’s advice to,

“Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (
)

Most importantly, we can stay rooted in the Vine and in God’s Word.

Jesus said of himself in

,

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Without Jesus sharing in our lives, we can do “nothing” — not live a fulfilling life, not build successful relationships, and not even resist the temptation to sin. When we partner with Jesus, we have a friend who watches out for us, prompts us in what we do, and gives us the strength to overcome the devil’s temptations. (

, Jude 24,
,
)

When it comes to fighting temptation, staying connected to Jesus is directly linked to being grounded in the Word of God. Paul counsels in

,

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

Cloaking ourselves with God’s Word, which is the sword of the Spirit (

), allows us to assert verses like:

  • “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (
    )
  • “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things.” (
    )
  • “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (
    )

Yes, the prickly pear fruit was tasty and sweet. No, it was not worth the price of damaging my fingers, just as sin is not worth earthly or heavenly consequences. When we do sin, it is comforting to know,

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,” (
),

and that our friend Jesus is right there to entreat us,

“Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (
)

For this we proclaim,

“Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (
)

*All Scripture verses are quoted from the NKJV

Copyright © 2021 Joseph Chmiel, used with permission.

A Risky Underwater Challenge

I once spent a week exploring the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. The seaside ruins of Tulum, an ancient Mayan city, stand atop a cliff that juts out into the ocean. A local guide told me it was possible to swim under the cliffs from one side and come out the other. To accomplish the feat, I swam along underwater passageways in the direction of the opposite side. The sun provided light reflecting against the sandy ocean floor.

Along the way, breathing was made possible by swimming up against the rocky ceiling wherever an air bubble could be found and inhaling the air. The bubbles form when tidal action washes aerated water under the cliffs. Micro bubbles in the surge concentrate into one large bubble until they resemble big glass dinner plates clinging to the submerged rock ceiling. They were plentiful at first, along with good visibility.

As I swam further under the cliffs, the light grew dim and the bubbles scarce. There soon came a point where I could not see the next bubble from the position of the current one. At one stretch these air pockets were so few and far between, I wondered whether my lungs held enough oxygen to return to the previous pocket if I could not locate the next one. My initial objective of reaching the other side had suddenly morphed into the shorter-term goal of just finding another bubble. Continuing along the course required faith that there would indeed be another one.

Choosing to swim the bubble route was my own questionable decision, but when it comes to traveling the road of life, we are not asked our preference. It is a journey we all must experience.

The bubbles in our lives are times of safety and security, periods of calm and clarity where we recognize God is in control. We pray those times would last. But in the same manner in which the bubble air is used up and forces us to move on, circumstances in life come about to move us out of our comfort zone and propel us along life’s way.

God bless you if your bubbles are abundant, but expect to encounter stretches of turmoil and turbidity, maybe even times of endangerment and exposure in which life’s trials can appear overwhelming. For some, these intervals seem to have no end in sight, but the constant to remember is that through every adversity, God cares and is still in control. He already knows the troubles we will go through and He supplies us the means to endure them:

”These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
NKJV)

Peace in the midst of trouble -- this is Jesus’ promise to us. Our part is to have the faith to continue, knowing our God hands us the final victory. An important addition to this promise is found in the 6th Chapter of Matthew:

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (
NKJV)

If we partner with God, He will provide. We find both peace and provision from the God who promises never to leave us or forsake us -- especially when the going gets tough.

When life happens, you may ask “why?” But if you persevere in faith, God is faithful to see you through. Whatever season of life you are in or problem that is overwhelming you, it is vital to know that God hasn’t abandoned you. The God who loves you and keeps you will always provide a next bubble, the best one being on that day when you swim out into His glorious Sonlight on the other side.

Copyright © Joe Chmiel June 2021, used with permission.