Don't Scratch the Itch

I know it's tempting.

Photo by Bradyn Trollip on Unsplash

I have a weird problem. When I get in the shower, my legs inevitably begin to itch like crazy. I cannot for the life of me find the self-control it takes to not scratch. I have a condition called dermatographism that causes my body to react to scratching with hives. By the time I step out of the steaming hot water, my thighs are covered with wheals. I scratched the itch and the itch only intensified.

In the beginning of the year, I committed to leaving my phone inside our bookshelf in the mornings and evenings so that I’d not be hunched over it like Gollum repeating, “my precious” around my kids. I knew my temptation to doom-scroll instead of looking them in the eyes when they ask me very important questions like, “Mommy! What if we ate poop?” was too strong. But slowly (quickly), my phone ended up back in my hand more and more throughout each day (How’d that get there?). My heart was filled with regret one morning when I recognized sadness on the face of my oldest. He wanted me to play with him and I brushed him off, too busy trying to disappear like Bilbo when he put on the ring. How did I get here? I was doing so well until I scratched the itch.

Isn’t that how temptation is? The more you give in, the more temptation grows. Scratch the itch; the itch intensifies. Watch porn; the desire to watch porn grows. Lie about something; the more you find yourself caught in lies. Once you give into rage, the harder it is to turn away from it. This is how it is for any temptation. Scratch the itch and it rises in your body like the hives on my legs. It may feel good for a moment but your left with the sting of shame.

But the opposite is true too. Say no to your temptation to send that inappropriate text, snap at your kids, watch that sex scene, or buy that thing you know you shouldn’t, and your capacity to keep saying “no” builds. It may take time, temptation may still dangle over you with it’s “did God really say?,” but more and more our self-control will be strengthened.

We can’t dig ourselves out of a pit with our own self-sufficient hands. The possibility to say no to sin only exists for those who are in Christ. We have the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin and provides aid in our battle against it. But if we are continually choosing temptation, we are quenching the Spirit, making us less sensitive to his warnings (1 Thes. 5:19). And we take him into that sin with us. God, help us. We need your grace.

And he does provide grace—grace for the fight and grace for our failures. We must learn to relish in that grace while also relying on it to walk in his ways.

What is your itch? I know for me it’s spending money I don’t have, addiction to my phone, and often having a grumpy disposition (Kinda like Bilbo). I don’t know what your flavor of sin is, but I’m pleading with myself and with you…

Don’t scratch the itch.

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