Circus Animal Cookies

I am weak for Circus Animal Cookies. The joyous pink and white frosted sugar cookies with rainbow sprinkles are just irresistible magic. I do enjoy desserts, but these things are in a different league of sweetness. I’m getting a sugar rush just thinking about them, and as I am typing this, my teeth are tingling.

If any are in the house, I’ll sniff them out, and begin to make excuses to pass by that jar and pilfer a few. I’m back a few seconds later to get more. And return again for more. And when the jar is empty, I will hunt down the bag and devour whatever is remaining inside.

Showing restraint and having just one Circus Animal Cookie apparently is impossible for me. Because one cookie leads to one handful. Which leads to one bag. Which leads to one truckload. Unless I can turn away from consuming that initial cookie, it unleashes a desire in me for more, more, and more.

That’s how sin works. Once we take that first step, it’s hard to stop. Once King David saw Bathsheba and did not look away, the trouble started. His refusal to look away led him to dwell and act on his lust for her. Instead of turning his thoughts to something else, David found out more about her and had her brought to his palace, which led him to adultery, deceit and murder (2 Samuel 11). All because he exhibited no initial self-control.

Like David, we all struggle with sin. But we can control how we react to situations, and what we think about. It’s so easy to justify – what harm is there participating in just one tidbit of gossip, taking just one look at that website, telling just one little white lie, scheming to get back at someone just this once. It’s all sin, and it will lead to more.

And we won’t derail it unless we turn our thoughts and dwell on what God wants us to focus on – Him, which leads to encouraging, serving and loving others.

Sin is about satisfying our own hungers and desires, not helping others. When we turn our thoughts to God and the needs of other people instead of ourselves, that is fulfilling, because “an appetite for good brings much satisfaction, but the belly of the wicked always wants more” (Proverbs 13:25, MSG).

Where do you need to apply some self-control?