Do you respond indignantly when an unfair remark is made about you or your loved ones? Do you rush to help someone who has just dropped a stack of papers? Do you purchase an item the moment you lay your eyes on it? Do you agree to requests without giving much of a second thought? When such decisions are made, we often find ourselves acting on impulse.
An impulse is defined as “a sudden strong and unreflective urge or desire to act”, or “something that causes something to happen or happen more quickly; an impetus”. As one might expect, it is dangerous to lead a life largely defined by decisions made on impulse. As a matter of fact, Adam and Eve were acting on impulse when they ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 3:6). Even today, overcoming sinful impulses is still a challenge for all of us (Jas 1:14-15).
Thankfully, we have many records in the Bible that we can learn from. We are reminded of how Samson proceeded to marry a Philistine woman despite his parents’ objections (Jdg 14:1-4). As we know, Samson later struggled with subsequent temptations involving Delilah (Jdg 16:4-20), further exemplifying how a physically strong person can be equally vulnerable to the dangers of sinful impulses. Another incident that comes to mind would be Jonah’s first instinct to flee from God’s command to work in Nineveh (Jon 1:1-3). Jonah was then cast into the sea and swallowed by a great fish (Jon 1:12-17), thereafter being taught to repent of his impulsive decision to flee from God’s command.
To deal with the threat of sinful impulses, the apostle Peter rightly exhorts us to prepare our minds for action, to exercise self-control, and to set our hope fully on God’s grace (1 Pet 1:13-15). Indeed, self-control isn’t a mere act of volition – we must also rely on the grace of God. Knowing that we have been added into God’s Kingdom by His grace, we can then work to control our impulses from a foundation of love for Him.
In addition, we also work from a foundation of truth. With the truth that is God’s word, we will find it easier to dismiss impulses that lead us into falsehood (Jn 8:31-32). Being a learned student of the Bible, we will be able to effectively recognise the sinful nature of impulses we feel (Heb 4:12). With this awareness and God on our side, it will surely be possible to combat sinful impulses.
That being said, it is important to acknowledge that not all impulses are of sinful nature. Acting on an impulse motivated by Christian qualities tends to be a good deed. For example, knowing that a member of the Church is in need, one might be quick to offer some form of assistance in terms of advice, connections, finances, meals, accommodations, etc. These are truly good things to do, albeit with the essential need to carefully consider one’s capacity to provide aid, instead of acting on these good impulses without sufficient planning.
The key takeaway is this – A sincere and honest Christian has to put in the additional effort of being conscious of his or her motivation behind every decision made. It is merely human to react instinctively to the various situations thrown at us in our bustling lives. However, let us be fully aware if it is a “sinful impulse” or “godly impulse” that is fuelling our initial reactions. If it is one of good and pure intention, act on it. If it is one that has the devil’s fingerprints all over it, flee from it. May we all have a good mastery over our sinful impulses, while striving to have more godly impulses in our lives.