Strange Source of Encouragement?

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“I don’t understand what I do. I don’t do what I want to do. Instead, I do what I hate to do.” -- Romans 7:15 (NIRV)

Do you find it easy to withstand temptation over committing certain sins, yet hard to stand against others?

I hope you said yes. Or is just me?

It may sound odd, but I consider Romans 7:15 to be one of the most encouraging verses in the Bible. In fact, the whole section (Romans 7:7-25) blesses me while I’m fighting sin.

While this section is complex, narrowed down, it is Paul recounting humanity’s continual, internal struggle facing sin, noting the Law is good for exposing it. And while our genuine desire as a Jesus-follower may be to rid sin from our lives, our flesh, our human condition, is weak, leaving us powerless against it.

I’ve been there. Have you? During my journey pursuing King Jesus, I have found myself caught in sin cycles. I’ll identify a sin in my life, ask God for forgiveness, turn away from it, and leave it behind—Right?

Sadly, no. I’ve found that my sin keeps chasing me. The enemy is relentless in his efforts to derail us from living as God intends (for our own protection). And while my heart and soul want desperately to hang on to Jesus’ curtails, to be with Him in every step of every day, I find my body, my flesh, and even my mind look back at that sin trying to run me down.

And sometimes it catches me.

Sometimes the very sin I’ve identified, asked for forgiveness over, and thought I’d left in the dust, snags me again. I fall into temptation. Giving in to the very thing, action, or desire, I do not want to do.

And this is when I go back to this verse and this section in Romans. I find comfort that Paul talks openly about failing against temptations. And Paul’s writing concludes by asking who will rescue him (and us) from our wretched flesh that keeps us falling into sin? Jesus!

Thank you, Jesus, that Your grace and mercy covers us. While I will always seek to rid sin from my life, I know it is a quick step in God’s direction, a quick turn of my gaze back to Him, that sets me free again. I hope you can see this verse as an encouragement when you, too, are struggling in a sin cycle.

Questions for Reflection:

1. Do you find it easy to withstand temptation over committing certain sins, yet hard to stand against others?

2. Have you ever considered the best way to overcome these sin cycles that we often find ourselves in? What course of action do you take?