Why do I do the things I do not want to do?
Why, when I am aware, do I do it anyway?
Romans 7:15-25
The Message
14-16I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.
17-20But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
21-23It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
24I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?
25The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
17-20But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
21-23It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
24I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?
25The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
Have you found life to be full of contradictions?
7 comments:
hummmmm.....
Sure, life is full of contradictions, but I guess my way of looking at my trip-ups and mistakes is that I learn from them. Sometimes, it takes many of these trip-ups for me to "get it," but I think that things happen for reasons and that when we contemplate and look within ourselves the answers are there...
Life is always evolving and we are forever changing. We don't stay stagnant and sometimes this can be hard and confusing, but ultimately we grow and we become stronger in the TRUTH which is who we are...
you do it because...we all do. Guess what? we're human. ah duh. xx
(ps, my security to post this code word is "colon"....HA)
I know you are perfectly right, Marian, I know this. But learning and growth is a rotten painful feeling while in the midst of it. Confusing is an understatement even to one who knows that I'll come out a change person after the fall. Life is such a battle. And even knowing this in the forefront of my mind, I go through the same writhing pain every time I face these contradictions. It just seems, at some point, we must become wiser in that we overcome these times easier ?
Thanks, Deb. I've always said it somehow makes things easier to hear that others struggle with similar dilemmas. It's not that I wish things on others but I do find comfort in knowing I'm not alien ;)
Love ya, girlie ♥
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Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.
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