Why do I do, what I don’t want to do? Being pointless hurts as God’s voice speaks to my life with the help of the Holy Spirit. Why ask the question Sugar Bear?
“for what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate… For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.” Romans 7:15
I learned at a young age that questions are so important. Especially when traveling on this journey trying to identify as a child of God with the mindset of Christ daily. But as my mama used to say, “don’t rush to live your life “, believe me Ronnie being silly in a rush, hurts. Sound familiar?
Like Paul, many Christians find themselves in a comparable spiritual battle. We want to do what is right but struggle to overcome our rebellious, sinful nature. We fail, we falter, we do the very things we hate and know are wrong, and when we mess up, we can often grow weary, disheartened and even overwhelmed with physical and spiritual pain.
We ask ourselves:
Why is following in the footsteps of Jesus so hard?
Why do we do the things we know are wrong?
Why do we continue to sin when we’re supposed to be redeemed, new creations in Christ Jesus? God this is hard and it hurts!
Paul attempted to address these many question describing the battle between sin and righteousness and the all-important, life changing power of God’s grace.
You see my battle as a sinner every day is one of constant warfare, between the flesh and the spirit, the old man and the new, “a very arrogant and ungrateful son who has no keen interest in the goal that lies most heavy on his father’s heart” And the faithful son who longs to know and to understand his father’s deepest intentions so that he can bring his thoughts and affections and actions into alignment with it. This brainless question from the world above makes me assume it not run by an absentee landlord?
While I agree that mature believers must fight a continual battle against indwelling sin (the flesh or the old sin nature), What Paul description hear adequately as one that seems to be a losing battle. In this life, I will never love God as completely as I should, with my entire heart, soul, mind, and strength. I will never love others as much as I love myself (Mark 12:30-31). I will always fall short of these commands. But a lack of perfection is not the same as persistent disobedience. As a new creature in Christ, by God’s Spirit, I can choose to love God by spending time with Him each day in His Word and in prayer, with a sense of joy as we read scripture with a big old sugar cookie smile that helps as we hear him as he is called himself as the Alpha and Omega the completeness of God, implying that God includes all that can be.
"For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God" (Psalm 86:10).
What this means as you read throughout the entirety of Psalm 86, gives glory to God. Praises Him throughout with prayer in the most humble and reverent adoration. Throughout every trail you are currently going thru and never let it take your mind away from God’s infinite greatness.
Remember my brothers and sister in Christ as we journey through this spiritual walk ,you will see this concept of humans, although made in God’s image, struggling to do what’s right, on our own.We all need the salvation of the Lord. There are so many trials and tribulations within the world therefore it is imperative that we pray to God for mercy and seek prayers from others which allow Him to help lead us away from potential sins. Sometimes we avoid asking for help out of fear that it admits failure. We think, I should be able to handle this on my own; I’m supposed to succeed. I just need to push through.
But the truth is that God created us with a need for help. Asking for help isn’t admitting failure, but recognizing the way God made us. Even before the fall, in Garden of Eden, God created Adam to receive provision and help rather than be self-sufficient. On a material level, God provided all of Adam’s food, water, even his breath. He provided fellowship for Adam through his own presence. In all of these ways, God longs to meet our needs. It’s simply not possible that God intends for us to “push through” without calling on his grace and compassion.
My Prayer:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as a pathway to peace; taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next.
God Bless You And This Ministry!
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