How dark is the night when the moon is shielded by gloomy skies? The storm appears life threatening when we forget about the anchor planted in the sand. The tunnel seems never ending when we don’t actively see the end in sight. And how easily do our hopes and dreams dissipate like mist in the wind when we feel trapped in a cycle of rejection and failure?

There’s a bleak place many of us find ourselves in quite often. Some refer to it as “the pit of despair.” Others simply classify it as episodes of depression or anxiety. The fact of the matter is that, as humans, we’re emotionally weighed down more often than we care to admit. Between pressures at work or at home, it can easily feel as though the weight of the world is on our shoulders.

When we consider the Christian Walk, it’s crucial to acknowledge just how clear Scripture is in that our earthly endeavor was never promised to be easy. In fact, as followers of Christ, we understand being hated for our faith is a surety (John 15:18). Persecution and hardships are an inevitable aspect of a horrendously fallen and broken world (2 Timothy 3:12). Even so, beyond the innumerable and often insufferable external battles we endure, the internal battles are what really seem to put an egregious strain on the heart, soul, and mind we may not immediately recognize.

The battle with sin, in particular, is grueling. It was the 16th-century reformer Martin Luther that once said, “Love God? Sometimes I hate Him.” Of course, on the onset, these are strange words to hear from such a popular church figure. But regardless of your theological stance, the reality behind Luther’s words is likely something many of us can relate to — in our fight against the flesh, we can become jaded to how blessed we really are. Luther’s words reflect a raw and unfiltered honesty that many of us choose to suppress rather than confess. His statement, though harsh, is a clear example of why we cannot afford to look at our sin without looking to our Savior.

Luther’s testimony, if you will, can be summarized by one word: “Scrupulosity.” Specifically, regarding religion or morality, this term is defined as an intense fear of committing sin or offending God. It can also be categorized as a fear of going to hell or being punished. It’s an excessive, unhealthy pursuit of purity, to an extent that leaves the one wrestling with scrupulosity shrouded in guilt, doubt, and misery. In a sense, it is an internal battle of seeking assurance while feeling trapped in doubt. An “I’ll never be good enough” kind of mentality that eats away at our joy and our strength until, seemingly, we have nothing left.

But beloved, in and of ourselves, we are not called to be perfect; We’re not called to be “good enough.” We’re called to pursue righteousness in Christ. We’re called to love and glorify God. In our love, we seek to obey His commands which lead to holiness. Jesus addressed this when He said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Jesus did not die on the cross for perfect people but for immensely imperfect, broken sinners. “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick,” Jesus said. “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17).

Indeed, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Titus 3:5 boldly proclaims that “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 2:8 states, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” Romans 6:23 reminds us that the wages we deserve for our sin is death, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Ultimately, we should grieve our sin. And our fight against the flesh is hard. But it is pertinent that we shield ourselves from self-destruction via self-deprecation — a kind of self-examination that only focuses on the issue, without looking for or acknowledging the solution. And dear reader, the only solution to our struggle against sin, failures, and shortcomings is the redemptive, miraculous love of God and the atonement His Son accomplished for us on the cross.

Furthermore, 1 Corinthians 10:13 reminds us, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

As long as we are alive on this earth, this spiritual war we face will not end. We must put the flesh to death daily, and this is certainly a long and tumultuous journey. And yet, the worst thing we could possibly do is look at our sin without looking to our Savior, simply because we aren’t talking about a God who makes us work to earn our salvation. We cannot earn it. We aren’t trying to prove that we deserve it. We could never deserve it. We are talking about a God who, despite the filthy rags that we are, chose us for His own. He loved us with such great love, too wonderful to understand.

This is not meant to be a lecture so much as a reminder of the fact that we are forgiven and free. We’re no longer slaves to sin, for the chains of death have been conquered. We will only continue to feel miserable and depressed and like failures if and when we forget that our Savior is the one who purchased our freedom. The price has been paid and there is nothing we can do to add to Jesus’s glorious work. Therefore, we don’t hate sin for the sake of hating sin. We hate sin because we love Christ. We don’t work because we need to work for our salvation. We work because, having received salvation already, we offer our lives as a living sacrifice in gratitude and love toward our merciful God.

The only solution to our deep conflict from within is the Savior and His finished work. He’s already opened the door to the straight and narrow, and we walk on it with joy and hope, knowing that our salvation is sure, and our Savior’s faithfulness is unwavering. No, this does not mean it will be easy. And that is exactly why we can never allow ourselves to look at our sin without looking to our Savior.

When you feel guilt, shame, or sorrow, repent and turn to Christ. And please, beloved, do so immediately. For true beauty, love, joy, and forgiveness, run into the arms of Christ and find it all there.