No More Let Sins and Sorrows Grow (from “Joy to the World”)

By Carmen Hamilton
Denver, Colorado

Scripture Reading:
Genesis 3
Galatians 3:10-14
Hebrews 4:14-16

Recently, I was talking to a dear friend of mine. In quiet confidence, she expressed her frustration with her marriage. Having been married for a few decades, she was losing hope that certain negative patterns may ever change. She was wrestling with feeling like her efforts were futile and wondering if it was all still worth it.

I relate to her feelings of futility. Having personally wrestled with depression for years, I understand how feelings of hopelessness can start to creep into the edges of our hearts and our faith when the change we hope for eludes us. We may begin to ask ourselves, “Will this (enter scenario here) ever change?” “Are my efforts having any impact at all?” “What am I doing wrong?” “Why should I even keep trying…?” We may begin to ask ourselves if God even hears our prayers, if He sees our efforts.

When we read Genesis 3, we learn of a curse assigned to man, brought on by his disobedience.

“...the ground is cursed because of you.

All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.

It will grow thorns and thistles for you,

though you will eat of its grains”

Genesis 3:17b-18 (NLT)

As a result of the curse, no matter how hard man works, there will be a certain futility to his labor, a longing for results not yet received (Romans 8:20-25). Even as the man wrestles to break up the ground and grow good things, thorns and thistles will grow. For all of his striving, all of his efforts, the fact remains that the ground is cursed. Man will always struggle to produce something good from his work.

The Curse of Self-Reliance

In Galatians 3, Paul continues to elaborate on how striving, how “working” keeps mankind under this curse: “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse.” 

The curse promises that even as we work to “break up” our own ground and produce our own outcomes, we will still grow “thorns and thistles.” The fact is, we will always have something with which we are struggling, areas in which we are trying to grow, hard “ground” within our hearts we are trying to break. As we struggle and work toward even good things, feelings of futility and frustration may start to take root. 

And yet, as we continue to read in Galatians 3, we learn there is a hope waiting for us: “Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law.” (Galatians 3:13)

The joy-filled message of Christmas is that the birth of Jesus points toward something better for each of us:  a life full of hope, freedom and even rest! Jesus came to rescue us from the curse set in place by Adam (Romans 5:18)!  No longer do we need to strive and struggle, facing the futility of our own efforts, depending on ourselves for both our strength and our outcomes. The birth of Jesus points us ahead to a hill—a hill where the curse was broken once and for all, a promise of redemption and rest.  It is only as we lose sight of this promise that we nurture the perfect soil for sin and sorrow to grow: sins such as doubt, faithlessness, ingratitude, discontentment and even bitterness. Fortunately, in place of the curse, we not only receive a promise, but also an invitation:

“For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help” Hebrews 4:15-16 (NET)

Freedom in Christ

When we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we celebrate freedom! Jesus offers freedom from our striving, proving, and producing. This freedom was bought at a price (I Peter 1:18-19) when that small helpless infant grew into a man, walked through our struggles and temptations, and then chose to become helpless once again on the cross so that we no longer needed to “work,” but rather, could rest in Him (Hebrews 4:9-10).

As we reflect on the birth of Christ this Christmas, and how it points to a better promise than the curse, we are able to find rest and hope even within the struggle, and sing with joy in our hearts,

“No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
far as the curse is found”
(Lyrics from “Joy to the World”)

Questions for Reflection:

1.      What kind of “works” is Paul referring to in Galatians 3? How can we find ourselves still enslaved to these “works” today?
2.      How can our constant striving result in sin and sorrow?
3.      Is there any area of your life or character that you have given up on ever seeing change? When you consider the cross and the freedom bought there, how does that affect your perspective on that area?
4.      How does the invitation found in Hebrews 4:15-16 impact your heart? How can that promise provide both strength for the struggle and also freedom from striving?

Today I will:

The author stated, “It is only as we lose sight of this promise that we nurture the perfect soil for sin and sorrow to grow.” Reflect on any sins and sorrows that may be growing in your heart right now. Is there an area of life about which you are discouraged, hopeless, or feeling frustrated? Decide to reach out to another sister in Christ for help and prayer regarding those areas.

About the Author:

Carmen Hamilton was rescued by Christ nearly 31 years ago while a teenager in the Chicago suburbs. Her current joys include her husband, Alex, two teenage children and two dogs. She is passionate about community, justice, and desires to learn more deeply what it truly means to “love your neighbor.” When her head isn’t buried in a book, she can be found hiking in the Colorado mountains, counting the days until Christmas, or sipping coffee with a friend.

To hear a special version of "Joy to the World" sung by your sister Amy Kinzer, click the image below:

Photo credits:

(Gardening pic)

Photo by Neslihan Gunaydin on Unsplash