Hate your way to a better relationship

What kind of crazy Valentine's blog is this?
One I hope caught your attention enough to get you to read the whole thing.

Sin, I thought about it all week. For me it starts out by focusing on other people's sin (yes, I am similar to the Pharisees in that way) but it ends up (thanks to the relentless Holy Spirit) with some soul searching on my own sin.

I think about how people have helped me to see and overcome sin in my life and about how I can be like them.

Usually they were honest with me.

I, naturally, did not like that. They were not mean, just honest.

They asked questions like "Do you think what you are doing is right?", "How do you think God feels about that?" and "How is that choice working in your life?".

They did not answer these questions.
They just asked.
They might have given scriptures to look at.

Once I cooled off (Hey "be angry and sin not" is one of my struggles), I could usually admit:

A.) What I was doing was wrong and it really was not getting me what I needed in my heart.

and

B.) God was probably grieving over what I was doing. It was probably really hurting Him.

Then the really amazing thing began to happen. I really started to Hate that sin, because it was hurting my God's heart. I cried out to Him and He showed up every time and helped me to gain strength over that sin.
(For this part to work you have to care about how God is feeling)

It took time and the weaker my hate is for the sin the longer it takes.

Take stewardship for example.

I kind of hate that if I buy clothes for fun, I have less money to do kingdom work but my hate is weak.

Why?

Because I LOVE the feeling new clothes give me. I love it more than I hate the hurt I am causing God's heart to see how I am short changing my fellow man.

TRUTH!

You know when I write it out like that it really has a bit of a bite to it. Pretty sad really.

I think I will pray that God will help me hate my greed more each day- so He and I can get closer.