Caught in the middle? Wondering why the struggle is so difficult? Wish will power was enough? Feel like the tree pictured above? The Apostle Paul captured the tug of war we all endure.
"But 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. Romans 7:17-20( The Message)
I'm thankful Paul doesn't leave us in that place of dichotomy. He reminds us of the power of Christ that enables us to set things right. As we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, the Creator and Sustainer of all things, that his shed blood grants us His righteousness and his broken body gifts us with healing, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. He comes to indwell us. The power of the Holy Spirit enables us to live a life healed and whole as we say yes to him. Our efforts produce nothing. The Holy Spirit produces new life in us; he renews our minds and changes our thinking.
Romans 8:5-17 says it well.
"This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us--an unbelievable in heritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!"(The Message)
Maybe your circumstances have split you in two. Maybe you feel like you're stretched to the breaking point. Know that the Lord is near. It is He who will lift you up.
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