The terminology has changed a lot since I was a young kid in church. You don't hear much about "rededications" anymore, and "church training" is now called discipleship. Back then, we "gave testimonies." Now, we share. One term that has fallen almost completely out of usage is "besetting sin."
A besetting sin is that one that constantly assails you, that is your chief spiritual challenge. For some it might be temper and they find themselves losing control time and again. For others, the besetting sin is lust and they constantly fall prey to those base desires. For others, materialism's pull is just too strong to resist.
Proverbs 29:25 describes what may very well be my besetting sin.
The fear of man is a snare,
but the one who trusts in the Lord is protected.
Over and over again in the scriptures we are told to fear the Lord, to hold him in such awe and respect that we live all our lives to please him and do nothing that would displease him - to live my life for God's applause and his alone. According to Proverbs, fearing the Lord is the key to all the blessings of God.
The opposite is true of the fear of man. Too often, I live my life to please people, concerned primarily about their opinion of me. That is a trap for the soul. I have to choose whose applause and pleasure I will seek. The servant of God cannot always hope for everyone to like him. God's spokesmen often speak unpopular truths and his servants serve Heaven's interests, not the world's.
It is easy to pass off a sin like this, "the fear of man," as if it is no big thing. It's not adultery or murder or something shameful like that, after all. But for those who, like me, desire to devote their lives to serving God, it is truly a snare, as Solomon said.
Those who would serve Christ must fear him and him alone. The fear of man is a snare. It is a snare I must constantly avoid.
Father, I live to serve you. May every moment of my life be lived for your pleasure, and yours alone.
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