Contained within Romans seven is one of the more noted rants of Paul. The classic I know what I should be doing, but I cannot seem to do it. Additionally, I know what I should not be doing, yet I seem to do it anyway. I am pretty sure that sums up the battle that almost every person faces. I often question God to reveal to me how I should live. I know that has already been revealed in Jesus Christ. I am hoping that God will give me some new information so I can justify my past failings. If God were to give me new info, I could simply claim I didn't know before. The reality, I know how I am to conduct my life and the things I am to stay away from. Still the battle rages.
Honestly, this battle causes me to get discouraged often. I fight to live as I feel called to live, yet I often come up short of the mark. When I feel like I am not measuring up in a series of events I start to reduce my own worth as a follower of Jesus and teacher of people. I then identify with Paul's words, "Oh what a wretched person am I!" If I were to stop reading there the discouragement would build. There is more to the story, thank God for the work of Jesus Christ. Through the grace of God through Jesus Christ we can find victory in the battle.
This victory won't mean we will always live how we want to live. It means we have at least a fighting chance because we have one who will fight for us if we will allow. Left to our own we will never overcome this battle, only through the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, send of Jesus by the grace of God, will we overcome.
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