His arm cocked back all the way and he threw the ball as hard as he could at his little boy...

This weekend I witnessed something that traumatized me. I haven't felt what I felt in a long time - if ever. Honestly, I've had to talk it through with someone who could help me, and I've had to wake my wife up to talk about it. I'm not going to try to tell the story, but it's enough for you to know that I saw it and responded to it in the best way that I knew how. I'm glad that I did respond and I'm thankful that the situation didn't get uglier than it already was.

The whole thing has left me hating sin more. Sin messes us up. It leads us down paths that we never thought we'd go. It blinds us. It robs us of compassion. It robs us of common sense. And it robs our friends & our families. It robs so many children.

I thought a lot about my friends who have struggled with addiction, depression & anger - and the common theme for many of them is that they struggled with stuff because they had unresolved issues with their fathers. Their fathers may have ignored them, or may have abused them. And it left them with scars that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Some find healing. (Which I very much believe is possible through Jesus). But some don't find healing.

And sin causes so much confusion. I found myself having to choose between a bunch of bad options. And I know sometimes my sin has caused others the same problem. Sin does this to us. It wears us out. And it can take away joy, peace and rest if we don't deal with it.

I can find two good things in all of my pondering:
#1 God's Word works. It's right. When followed, it leads to healthy living & healthy relationships.
#2 My longing for the new creation has grown. Oh for the day when sin is no longer at play, when evil has no power and Satan has been dealt the final blow. We will feel so rested, secure and hopeful. We will experience a fullness of joy and peace. Until then, we must hang-on to Jesus, praying & working & waiting.