The Crossfire of Sin
by Annie Yorty
Many of us avoid conflict. But sometimes we find ourselves stuck in the middle of a battle we didn’t initiate. Where’s God when we’re caught in the crossfire of sin?
A Fierce Battle
As a homeschool mom, I visited many Civil War battlefields with my kids. What I learned about the battle near Spotsylvania, Virginia on May 12, 1864, stands out to me.
At the end of the conflict, a bullet-riddled stump stood among bloody piles of dead and dying uniformed men after a twenty-hour pitched battle between the Union and Confederate armies. Both Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee claimed victory, but historians note the result was inconclusive. One thing’s sure. The crossfire of bullets sheared off a mighty oak tree, leaving only a twenty-two-inch stump.
The poor tree had no part in the Civil War. It was simply caught in the middle of the strife. I wonder how many can sympathize with that once-mighty oak. Have you taken fire from someone else’s sin? If you’ve been the victim of sin that wasn’t your own, you may grow angry, resentful, or bitter toward the culprit. The writer of Hebrews warns about the danger of allowing these feelings to fester.
Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. (Hebrews 12:15 NLT)
The True Target of Sin
A misperception about the true target of sin allows bitterness to find a foothold within our heart. When we believe we were the original target, we become offended and expect atonement from the perpetrator for ourselves.
In reality, every sin is first and foremost against God. King David recognized this fact when he repented of his sin toward Bathsheba and her husband.
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. (Psalm 51:4 NLT)
Of course, David also cared about the pain he caused Bathsheba, but he understood God is the true target of all sin.
When Satan tempted the first humans in the Garden of Eden, you can be sure his target was God. Adam and Eve, along with every person born since that time, were caught in the crossfire of his sin against God.
How to Respond in the Crossfire of Sin
When we understand our offender battles with God, we must study God’s response and learn to imitate Him.
He gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. (Philippians 2:7-8 NLT)
Jesus bled and died for the person who sins against you. He paid the penalty for these exact sins. The gossip you dodge, the insults you endure, and every abuse you suffer pressed Him down into the depths of hell. His blood covers every one of those offenses.
3 Actions to Take in the Crossfire of Sin
1. Meditate on the details of Jesus’ sacrifice.
When we truly consider the torment Jesus bore, we will realize the relative insignificance of our own pain in comparison. Please understand I’m not minimizing your experiences. As painful as they are to you, Jesus experienced the brunt of those sins. I hope, like Apostle Paul, we can desire to share in the troubles of Jesus.
But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. (Romans 8:17b-18 NLT)
2. Trust God to care for you.
When we’re caught in the crossfire of sin, we often feel vulnerable, alone, unprotected. We must fight that feeling with truth. God allowed his own Son to suffer and die on His own. Because of His sacrifice, He now stays with us and cares for us. He will not allow you to be reduced to a mere dead stump. In fact, you may sprout new growth in these times.
When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. (Isaiah 43:2 NLT)
3. Forgive your offender.
Do you remember how Jesus forgave the debt of your own sin? Don’t cheapen His sacrifice on the cross by withholding your own forgiveness for the blows you’ve sustained. What does the offender owe you? An apology? Restitution? Whatever is due, transfer the right to collect on the debt from yourself to Jesus. After all, He paid the ultimate price, not you (though you share in the sufferings). God will right the wrongs done to you.
We’re in an unseen, yet very much felt, spiritual battle. Share on XForgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. (Matthew 6:12 NLT)
Friends, we’re in a cosmic battle.
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12 NLT)
In the battle of Spotsylvania, neither side aimed for the trunk of the unfortunate oak tree, yet it took intense fire.
In the unseen spiritual battle, bullets whizz around you too. Some graze your flesh. Others penetrate deep. Because you belong to Father God, none of the crossfire of sin can cut you down.
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28 NLT)
Join the conversation:
What comfort do you receive when you transfer the debt owed to you for sin to Jesus?
I welcome your comments!
Copyright ©2023 Annie Yorty
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16 Comments
Maggie Rowe
Excellent post, Annie. You’ve given me much to think about today. Thank you.
Annie Yorty
Maggie, thank you for your visit and encouragement.
Nancy E. Head
I love the analogy. Sometimes we’re the target. Sometimes, we’re the tree. Thanks for sharing wisdom, Annie. God bless!
Annie Yorty
Nancy, I appreciate your encouragement. Blessings to you!
J.D. Wininger
You hooked with the reticle in your graphic Ms. Annie. I knew I had to study this blog. Reading wasn’t going to be enough for me today. 🙂 What great examples you used, and what truths you shared. When others around us sin, and we get caught up in it/hit by it, we must remember that we’re just caught in the crossfire. An interesting point is that we are almost never the intended target, God is. When others are tempted by Satan to sin, they do so with an intended target of God, Satan’s enemy. We are just the ancillary damage that comes from the impact of the explosion of sin. When a 500 lb. bomb is dropped from 20,000 feet, it may often be targeted at one individual or a small group of individuals. However, BDA (Bomb Damage Assessment) taken after its impact reveals that two buildings were destroyed in the process. They weren’t the intended target, but were caught up in the bomb’s “kill zone”, its effective radius. As you so precisely explained, this is often the same thing that happens to us. In addition to praying your forgiveness, I include petition for the sinner to be convicted to seek forgiveness from their real target (whether they realized it at the time of the sin or not). Real world solutions for a common problem we’ve all encountered. Amen ma’am. Amen!
Annie Yorty
J.D., thank you for adding these thoughts to the conversation. It sounds like you have some first-hand experience with this subject, both literally and figuratively. Asking for conviction of a sinner with a hope for repentance and change is one of the most loving actions we can take.
Katherine Pasour
Very wise words, Annie. I think one of the hardest tasks is forgiving our offender, accepting the apology we never receive. That’s hard, but Jesus takes aways the burden of unforgiveness when we love the offender and forgive, even when they don’t accept blame or apologize.
Annie Yorty
I’ve wrestled with how to forgive some huge, life-altering offenses. Thankfully, God has given me unmerited grace to apply to the ones who never took responsibility. When I’m able to forgive, God’s peace floods over me. Thanks for visiting and adding your insights, Katherine.
Yvonne Morgan
We are in the midst of so many spiritual battles in the time of history. And during it all, we want to hold onto anger and resentment. But we must learn to forgive others and begin to disarm our enemy. Thank you Annie.
Annie Yorty
I like the word “disarm,” Yvonne. The unusual response of forgiveness is unexpected and disarming. Thanks for visiting and adding your insight to the conversation.
Sylvia Schroeder
This was an excellent post Annie. So relevant and so needful. Thank you!
Annie Yorty
Thanks very much, Sylvia. Blessings to you!
Judy Snow
SO good, Annie. I needed to read these words of encouragement and wisdom tonight. Very applicable to an experience that I had in my church 15 years ago now, yet still deeply hurtful. We’ll said, and thoughts and scriptures to which I want to return.
Annie Yorty
Thank you, Judy, for visiting and adding your thoughts to the conversation. When we’re deeply wounded, we need to apply the truth of God’s Word for healing. Blessings to you!
Jeannie Waters
Annie, the story of the oak offered the perfect introduction to this powerful post. Keeping our eyes on Jesus strengthens us for any battle. Thank you for powerful reminders.
Annie Yorty
He is indeed our strength and shield. Thanks for visiting and sharing your thoughts, Jeannie!