Perfect Chaos

Steven Colborne's Philosophical Theology Blog


The Struggle With Sin is Insane!

The warnings about the fires of hell in the Bible and the Qur’an have the effect of making us very conscious of our sin. We can become very depressed about sin, feeling we are constantly missing the mark and falling short.

The irony is, it’s possible to get into a frame of mind where we are so concerned about sin that the mental anguish causes us to want to sin just to relieve the stress!

It’s a strange thing commanding love with the threat of hell if we do not love enough, but God is infinitely wise and does whatever He will. Perhaps I am being too hard on myself, but God controls my life, so what can I do?

I have been feeling really burned out on religion in recent weeks. The struggle of faith has become rather too much. I really need your prayers.

I know that God is love and God is great and that it’s important to keep trusting and keep going, but I am longing for the freedom of feeling accepted unconditionally, which God tells me that I am, but I don’t feel it at the moment.

I am tired with agonising over spiritual things! May the Lord grant me peace, love, Truth and rest! And may He grant everyone who is struggling the same.



12 responses to “The Struggle With Sin is Insane!”

  1. God is love, and He does not control our lives but gives us the freedom to choose. He is not angry when we make mistakes; instead, He teaches us through them. Being hard on ourselves is something we all go through at times, but we don’t need to stay in that place. Just as God does not judge us harshly, we should not be so severe with ourselves or with others. In His grace we find forgiveness, patience, and rest.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks for commenting, Katherine. I appreciate the encouraging words. However, we are not truly free to choose. God does control all things, but He may not yet have revealed this to you.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you for sharing your perspective so openly. I know that God is all-powerful and that nothing happens outside His will. Yet, I believe His love is shown precisely in the freedom He gives us to choose whether to love Him or not. True love cannot be forced—it is the free response of the heart. To me, this is a precious gift and a sign of how deeply God respects us.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. I don’t believe we are free to choose whether to love Him or not. He is sovereignly controlling the unfolding of all events. But I respect that He has given you the perspective you have.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. Thank you for your honesty and for expressing your thoughts with respect. I understand that you see God’s sovereignty in all things, and I appreciate your perspective. For me, experiencing God’s love often feels like a gentle call that allows us to respond from the heart. Even if we don’t always feel complete freedom, I sense that God honors our choice, and our free response is part of our relationship with Him.

            Liked by 1 person

            1. In what way are you free, Katherine? Are you freely beating your heart or circulating your blood? Did you freely choose to have arms, legs, eyes and ears? I may not be able to persuade you, but if you consider there may be truth in my perspective please consider reading my book God’s Grand Game or my compilation Puppets for an in-depth exploration of the free will issue. Or at least ask God to reveal the truth to you about whether you have free will or not.

              Liked by 1 person

            2. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences. I truly appreciate your honesty and the respectful way you speak about these deep matters. For me, faith is more about responding with the heart to God’s call, even when the mysteries of faith, like free will, remain difficult to understand. I believe He knows our hearts better than we do and carries us gently with love each day.

              Liked by 1 person

            3. Thank you also. Wishing you well on your faith journey! Do consider asking God to reveal the truth to you about free will. God is gracious and loving.

              Liked by 1 person

            4. Thank you as well 🙏 God bless!

              Liked by 1 person

  2. May God revive our hearts 🙏

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Amen! God is awesome. Blessings over your day, Hannah 😊🙏

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Amen, thank you. Blessings to you too, Steven 🙏

    Liked by 1 person


About Me

My name is Steven Nicholas Colborne.
I’m a philosopher and author living in the United Kingdom. On this blog, I write about matters of philosophy and religion and share a variety of personal articles.

Visit me on Substack


follow this blog

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy whole heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind, and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

CATEGORIES