Mollycoddle

That's my new favorite word.  I came across it while reading John MacArthur's Worship: The Ultimate Priority.  It was the first time I remember ever seeing the word.  Merriam-Webster defines the noun form of the word as "a pampered or effeminate man or boy."  In its verb form, as MacArthur uses it, it means "to treat with an excessive or absurd degree of indulgence and attention."

For example, MacArthur writes:
"God is glorified, first of all, when we trust Him without vacillating.  Our faith in Him should be implicit.  That doesn't mean we turn off our intellect or decline to think through the implications of what God has revealed; but it does mean that we must refuse to mollycoddle doubt or let it take root in our hearts...Faith is perhaps the most basic form of worship" (Worship, 175-176).

What doubts are you entertaining?  What sins are you indulging in and giving attention to?  Don't mollycoddle!

My friend and fellow pastor, Bryan Laramore, and I once talked about collecting a list of words we would begin using in our vocabularies.  I think mollycoddle just made my list.