Where & When You Sin the Most

For every moment of strength in David’s life, there was often a subsequent weakness.

For every Goliath, there was also a Bathsheba.

I think that is why so many of us resonate with King David.  We emulate him one moment and disdain him the next.  That’s where so many of us live.  We have more bloopers than highlight reels.

King David’s worst travesty happened after some of his greatest triumphs.

Don’t miss that.  He seemed to have good motives.  He had been doing good work.  He appeared to be operating out of a desire to honor God.

And then he got comfortable and entitled.  And that is the most dangerous place to be.

2 Samuel 11:1 In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.

Did you catch it?  When kings are supposed to be at battle, David stayed at home.

Sin can often start by being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Beyond that, he got up from his couch and was walking on his roof in the late of the day.  Do you honestly thought he was unaware that he would find a viewpoint of the local bathing house from his vantage point?  Something about the human condition leads me to believe that wasn’t the first time he had viewed on someone who did not belong to him.  I think he probably was aware of when and where he could see what he wanted.

And I think you do too.

In fact, if you won’t acknowledge the when and the where, you are in trouble.

If you don’t know the when and the where in which you are prone to sin, that probably means you have grown accustomed to it.

Where is the rooftop for you?  When is the time of day?  What is that situation that you find yourself struggling with temptation?  When and where are you weakest?

If you don’t know where and when you are tempted regularly, I guarantee the devil knows.

Think through where you are struggling most right now.  Where are those areas?  When are those times?  And then begin to pray through how you can get smart before those moments regarding how you can fight against temptation.

but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. -James 1:14

Check out more on this idea in the sermon “Broken Bones.”