Which End is UP?

cooking-mom-harried“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Romans 7:15

You commit to a specific appointment time. You set the alarm, get everybody up, and start your day. You decide to add a couple of extra touches to breakfast.

You see that pile of clean laundry and decide it needs to be folded. Your hair won’t cooperate. You head out the door 20 minutes later than necessary.

“For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing.”  Romans 7:19

cold shoulderYou know your reaction to her comment was petty. You tell the Lord about it, ask Him to forgive you, and commit to letting go of your improper attitude.

You spot her as you’re heading into church and choose a seat in a different area of the sanctuary. The service ends and she’s coming your way. You walk right by her.

“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 7:20

Take heart.

“So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” Romans 7:21

Paul, the hero of the faith who wrote these words, faced the same predicament.

“So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”  Romans 7:25b

The internal turmoil begins the moment we are reconciled to the Father through Christ.

Response Option #1

Wring our hands and cry out, “Woe is me!”

Response Option #2
Look up and declare, “Thank you for the confirmation, LORD.”

runner on beach


“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
 Hebrews 12:1

If you find these words encouraging, please share them with a friend.    Thank you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SLHWFpSlq4

2 comments

  1. These words, written by Paul, are some of my favorites. Not because I want to look for an excuse for my sin, but to confirm the fact that even though I WANT to be perfect, I won’t be…and God knows that even better than I do.

    I also love it as a reminder that we should be transparent, just like Paul. We can’t win others to Christ through our perceived perfection, but we CAN lead them to Christ through His perfect sacrifice that covers our sin. Praise Him!

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