Perhaps you have seen a meme, often funny, that starts with the line, “My toxic trait is …”

“My toxic trait is asking four people for advice and then doing whatever I want.”

“My toxic trait is saying things out loud that should be kept in my head.”

“My toxic trait is being productive for 20 minutes and then giving myself a two-hour break.”

“My toxic trait is expecting people to have common sense and then getting mad when they don’t.”

Well, my toxic trait, and maybe yours too, is that I love to sin. In the moment, it gives me a dopamine rush that brings me pleasure. It feels pleasing to my flesh and emotions while I am doing it.

And the reason it is toxic is because that same sin leaves a wake of destruction. The high fades, and I am left with broken promises, guilt, shame, fractured relationships, isolation, heartache, and separation from God.

The Bible says of Moses, “He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.” (Hebrews 11:25 – NIV 2011)

Why would Moses give up the pleasures of sin to be mistreated?

“He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.” (Hebrews 11:26 – NIV 2011)

He did it because he was looking forward to an eternal reward, a reward greater than the treasures of Egypt. He was “looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Heb. 11:10) and was “longing for a better country – a heavenly one” (Heb. 11:16).

Moses saw beyond that day and season of his life and focused on his heavenly future. 

Perhaps one way to overcome our toxic trait is to never settle for the momentary and keep our eyes on the eternal.