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Resolved, Whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause and then, both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it. (Resolution #24: By Jonathan Edwards)

Since January, I have been on a strict exercise and diet regime; I have been monitoring and logging my progress every weekday (via my Wii Fit Exercise Program). The program records and registers my exercise information so that I can gauge from week to week if I have progressed or regressed. I have nine months of data concerning my exercise history. Last month, my family and I attended a wonderful event that had an entree of delicious food items with a large desert table of ‘homemade’ cakes and pies. Needless to say, the food was irresistibly delicious . . . and I lost all restraint and pigged out! I indulged in the fine food and enjoyed every bite. Later, I knew that I had overindulged!

Anyway, after returning home, for some strange reason, I decided to ‘weigh in‘ on my exercise program . . . I had gained seven!! . . . yes that is correct, SEVEN pounds of weight within the short span of two hours!!! Fortunately, I was able to work it back off . . . however, it took me one entire week to lose those extra seven pounds that only took a fleeting moment to gain. The exercise program asked me what the problem was that caused me to gain so much weight since my last log (it gave me a list of multiple choice reasons). I checked the box that stated that I had eaten too much. Ah, that was the root of my problem!

My August exercise program’s graph chart that monitors my weight bears witness to the sudden spike on the graph chart. My weight for that specific day of my eating binge was registered FOREVER on my program. I cannot erase it, delete it, or change it. Therefore, the August graph chart of my weight has a lone upward graph point where my weight sky-rocketed.

My exercise program can display my weight progress of the entire year. It is hilarious to look at because the month of August bears one ‘blip‘ that stands out by itself. Every time I examine my yearly chart, that one, lone, spiked blip in August bears witness to my one moment of overindulgence. Thus, no matter how I don’t want that lone, spiked blip on my exercise record, it is there to stay!

In the same, not only is it good to monitor and record our daily physical information, it is also good to monitor and record our “daily living information” . . . and (mentally) record even the moments that we do any “conspicuously evil action.” Why? As Jonathan Edwards suggests, “to trace it back, till I come to the original cause.” What are the causes of the “conspicuously evil actions” in our lives?

Charles Spurgeon makes a few suggestions to the causes of the “conspicuously evil actions” in our lives. He wrote:

“The causes of [a conspicuously evil action] are manifold . . . it may arise through a comparative neglect of prayer, for a neglected closet is the beginning of all spiritual decline . . .”

“Or it may be the result of idolatry. The heart has been occupied with something else, more than with God; the affections have been set on the things of earth, instead of the things of heaven. A jealous God will not be content with a divided heart; He must be loved first and best. He will withdraw the sunshine of His presence from a cold, wandering heart . . .”

“Or the cause may be found in self-confidence and self-righteousness. Pride is busy in the heart, and self is exalted instead of lying low at the foot of the cross.”

In conclusion, according to Edwards, once you have calculated and determined the cause of your “conspicuously evil action,” you are to “both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all [your] might against the original of it.”

Chart your life day by day; examine it and take notes; take immediate and proper action to keep the course of following Christ:

. . . So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way. And we should remove the sin that so easily catches us. (Hebrews 12:1) [International Children's Bible]

Selah,

chadwick