This passage of scripture changed my life, Romans 7:15-25
"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it."
(Is your head spinning yet?!)
"So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin."
This passage confirms what I've believed for a very long time...I'm NOT Alright! My nature is sinful. I desire to do what is good, but all too often I fall short of doing that because evil is lurking at every moment. There is a war going on between my desire to do good (my Spirit) and my sinful nature (my flesh). I'm slowing realizing that this war within me is nothing to be ashamed of. We're all in this war together...we are all sinful and broken. We don't like to talk about how weak we truly are, but transparency is the best way to help others learn. When you truly understand that everyone is broken, it's not necessary to hide your brokeness.
Now, when I say the above passage changed my life, it only did so because my despair over my brokeness led me to God. Romans 8:1 is the resolution of all brokeness!
Are you hiding your brokeness? Do you need to look Upward Not Inward?!
The closer we get to God, the clearer we see ourselves as we are and the more we understand what a dire need we have of Him. -- Barbara
ReplyDeleteLife & Faith in Caneyhead
I think about that scripture often, b/c I struggle with eating better and always find myself making poor choices. I KNOW I am a new creation, b/c of Christ, but I STILL eat when I shouldn't. I cannot change myself, I know that. It's only through Christ that I have success with anything. :-) I know this!
ReplyDeleteIt is a constant battle of our earthly body, spirit, and soul. Letting God's Word be a light unto our paths keeps us going the right way, but when we mess up and get off course, by His grace, we may humbly confess our sins, be cleansed & forgiven, and set back on the right road. Praise be to God for His undeserved Grace.
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