What would it be like if we looked in the mirror and saw all our past mistakes staring back at us? There is a popular catchphrase used to explain who we are as people that states, “You are the sum of what you have done.” Thankfully, as followers of Jesus Christ, we can choose whether or not this is true. We have the awesome opportunity to change the reflection, to leave our old lives behind and become new creations with our Savior living in us! (Ephesians 4:22-24).

With the approach of the Christian Passover, we are mindful of our sins, knowing that Christ died to redeem us and to grant us access to forgiveness (1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:9-10). In Paul’s writings, we are told to examine ourselves leading up to this day to ensure we take the symbols of Christ’s body and blood in a worthy manner. (1 Corinthians 11:27-29). Are we ridding ourselves of poor behavior? Have we repented of our sins?

During this period of self-examination, we may indeed find ourselves looking in the mirror and seeing many sins staring back at us. However, we do not have to let that be our permanent reflection. Here are a few steps to aid a Christian in overcoming sin:

1. Discover what's right

One cannot overcome sin unless it can be recognized for what it is. We are told in the Bible that obedience to God’s ways reveals what sin is (Romans 7:7). But besides the basic Ten Commandments, God doesn’t list the "do"s and "don't"s in a checklist format. Discovering the difference between right and wrong takes time and effort. We need to have our noses in the Bible and diligently searching God’s instructions (Proverbs 2:1-5).

Jesus Christ’s life and earthly ministry in the gospels are the foremost example for us. We can learn the right way to act in many scenarios just by reading about his life, because He Himself faced many of the same temptations for sin that we do (Hebrews 4:15). We know that to follow His example is to do what’s right, for He is the way we should go (John 14:6).

2. Get help

We should never feel like we are alone (Genesis 2:18). Even Christ had His Father by His side throughout all of His ordeals (John 8:29). Similarly, we should reach out to God should we need help. The obvious way to do this is through prayer. What do you want to change? Who do you want to be? What is causing you trouble? All these questions can and should be laid at the feet of our loving Creator. God will certainly answer and guide us in how to overcome (James 1:5).

We are also instructed to reach out to our brothers and sisters in the faith for support as well: “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). There is nothing like knowing someone is praying for us during a trial. But what about when we are trying to overcome a sin? This is why many addiction rehabilitation programs assign accountability buddies to help keep on track and to provide support.

3. Show you’re serious

Nothing tells God, “I’m really serious about overcoming this sin,” than afflicting ourselves with fasting (Psalm 35:13). Not that God needs motivation to help us, for He does that out of His own love. But imagine a parent teaching a child how to tie their shoe. It will not help that child if the parent does it for them every time. But if the parent sees the child trying and struggling, then they lend a hand. Fasting is one way to show that we are dedicated to learning the right way.

This type of dedication to overcoming sin can also be shown by how we react to wrong when we are faced with it. We are supposed to run the opposite direction and hate evil (Amos 5:14-15; 1 Thessalonians 5:22; 2 Timothy 2:22). Christ even tells us that we are to take extreme measures to overcome sin, even if it means sacrificing something in our lives (Mark 9:43-49).

We can often feel overwhelmed in the face of our many sins and flaws, but it doesn’t have to be so. Self-examination during Passover preparation is not a time to feel guilty, but a time to overcome and rejoice! Jesus Christ’s sacrifice has opened up a door before us to move forward into righteousness and everlasting life! Let’s take that door, so we can look in the mirror and see the reflection of our Savior.