Oh What the Hell

When we find ourselves saying what the hell, it's time to stop and reach out to heaven.

You gave up sweets for Lent, but the smell of chocolate chip cookies was too intoxicating to resist. And after you had already broken your Lenten fast, you thought, oh what the hell. One cookie led to two; two led to a dozen.

Maybe cookies aren't your thing, and maybe it was a New Year's resolution, rather than a Lenten fast. Still, many of us have broken a promise we made to ourselves, shrugged, and then continued doing exactly what we promised ourselves we would not do. 

Diet researchers have studied the what-the-hell effect for years, but this phenomenon is not unique to those on a diet.

Sometimes we sin and think, oh what the hell, I'm already "damaged goods." We can then continue going down a path that is not good for us.

God doesn't want us to get mired in the muck of sin and shame. God wants us to seek forgiveness and then get back out there and do something beautiful with our lives. 

That's even more important than fasting from sweets this Lent.