It's the age-old struggle with sin. We all do it. We may ask God's forgiveness for a sin one minute, and we're right back at it the next.
The two sin habits I struggle with repeatedly are busyness and worry. I get overwhelmed, stressed out, and burned out because I work, work, work instead of asking God to plan my days. I freak out about finances rather than trusting God to provide all I need. I tell myself not to worry, but that's like saying, "Do not think about a pink elephant." As soon as I say it, that's all I can think about. You know what I mean?
This is what Paul was talking about in Romans 7:7-25. He said that before he studied God's law, he didn't know what sin was. Once he understood what sin was, it seized him by the throat and brought him death. God's law reveals to us that we are utterly hopeless without a Savior. We need Jesus!
"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 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. 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." Romans 7:15, 18, 20 I've always been puzzled by Paul's tongue twister in this passage, but I often feel the same way about my own sin. I wonder if this is where we get the phrase, "The devil made me do it"? Do you need to confess your sin to God and ask him to help you get off the merry-go-round? Find an accountability partner to help you.
Romans 7:24-25 This is the hope of the gospel! While we were wretched and completely drowning in sin, God rescued us! Thanks be to God! Our Savior is Jesus Christ our LORD! Hallelujah, what a Savior!!
The two sin habits I struggle with repeatedly are busyness and worry. I get overwhelmed, stressed out, and burned out because I work, work, work instead of asking God to plan my days. I freak out about finances rather than trusting God to provide all I need. I tell myself not to worry, but that's like saying, "Do not think about a pink elephant." As soon as I say it, that's all I can think about. You know what I mean?
This is what Paul was talking about in Romans 7:7-25. He said that before he studied God's law, he didn't know what sin was. Once he understood what sin was, it seized him by the throat and brought him death. God's law reveals to us that we are utterly hopeless without a Savior. We need Jesus!
"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 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. 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." Romans 7:15, 18, 20 I've always been puzzled by Paul's tongue twister in this passage, but I often feel the same way about my own sin. I wonder if this is where we get the phrase, "The devil made me do it"? Do you need to confess your sin to God and ask him to help you get off the merry-go-round? Find an accountability partner to help you.
