Why is doing the right thing so difficult? A common struggle is that it's far too easy to be long on intention, but short on action.
"I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want." (Romans 7:18-19)
Our struggle was Paul's struggle. This mighty man of God was prone to the same failures as each of us, which should alleviate a certain measure of burdensome guilt. He was a member of the same universal club of sinners.
Personally, I think many of us compound the struggle with the "sin cycle" in our lives by not doing as Paul did: honestly admitting and confessing the problem. Perhaps we buy in to the false assumptions that "real Christians can't ...", or "real Christians won't ...". Bottom line is we are likely capable of far more sin than we dare even admit to ourselves.
Well, that's all pretty depressing, huh? Fortunately Paul doesn't leave us hanging in this dismal state:
"Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25)
Paul was profoundly grateful for the deliverance found only in Christ, because he was truly aware of his wretched condition aside of Christ. Facing the true reality of his life was key in savoring the richness of grace and forgiveness in Christ.
There is a danger, the longer we live the Christian life, in "believing our own stuff"; that is, believing that the good in our life is really our own goodness rather than God's goodness through Christ in us. Striking the balance is the challenge. It's much too easy to have an exaggerated sense of either our own goodness or badness. Wisdom is seeking our Father's true assessment of ourselves so that we can best appreciate His grace.
We are the "wretched" who are abundantly blessed. Live in awe today of His unfathomable grace.
Steve
"I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want." (Romans 7:18-19)
Our struggle was Paul's struggle. This mighty man of God was prone to the same failures as each of us, which should alleviate a certain measure of burdensome guilt. He was a member of the same universal club of sinners.
Personally, I think many of us compound the struggle with the "sin cycle" in our lives by not doing as Paul did: honestly admitting and confessing the problem. Perhaps we buy in to the false assumptions that "real Christians can't ...", or "real Christians won't ...". Bottom line is we are likely capable of far more sin than we dare even admit to ourselves.
Well, that's all pretty depressing, huh? Fortunately Paul doesn't leave us hanging in this dismal state:
"Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25)
Paul was profoundly grateful for the deliverance found only in Christ, because he was truly aware of his wretched condition aside of Christ. Facing the true reality of his life was key in savoring the richness of grace and forgiveness in Christ.
There is a danger, the longer we live the Christian life, in "believing our own stuff"; that is, believing that the good in our life is really our own goodness rather than God's goodness through Christ in us. Striking the balance is the challenge. It's much too easy to have an exaggerated sense of either our own goodness or badness. Wisdom is seeking our Father's true assessment of ourselves so that we can best appreciate His grace.
We are the "wretched" who are abundantly blessed. Live in awe today of His unfathomable grace.
Steve
posted by steve @ 9:43 AM
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