Monday, May 4, 2009

A Romans Chapter 7 Kinda Day

Have you ever had one of those days? You know, the one that you hope will hurry up and end!?!? The kind of day that you are responding to everything that crosses your path in a manner that you know shouldn't, but you do it anyway?!?!?!?

Today was a Romans Chapter 7 kinda day. Romans 7:14-21 says:
So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. I have discovered this principle of life — that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. (Emphasis mine)

And that was me today - facing frustration, conflict, agitation, and instead of doing what I know is right, I did just the opposite. Now if the book of Romans ended at Chapter 7, I just might be able to biblically justify my un-Christlike behavior today. But alas, there is a Chapter 8.

And once I arrived home today, I carefully read Chapter 7...and then meditated for a bit on Chapter 8. Chapter 8 reminded me that I am not controlled my sinful nature, (in other words, my inappropriate response to the frustration, conflict and agitation) - I have the Holy Spirit living within me and since I do, I should allow Him to control my actions and yield to His direction. Romans 8:6 says:
So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.

As I seek forgiveness from He who has given me life, I will allow the Holy Spirit to control my mind and to work through me and believe that tomorrow will be a Romans Chapter 8 kinda day!

Thanking Him today for His Word, for His forgiveness and for thinking I'm worth dying for!

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