As I have been doing my women's bible study this week in preparation for Friday, God has hit me over the head with some of the verses. And, one of those verses happens to be one that a friend of mine told me to read just a few days ago. It's not a coincedence. God is good. So, the scripture is Romans 6. The entire thing relates to my life, but, more specifically, Romans 6: 14-" For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace."
Beth and I were talking the other night about how I struggle with committing the same sin over and over. I have been dealing with it since I was 15 years old. Romans 6 tells me that I am to die to my sin and enjoy my new life in Christ. If I am a Christian, then how can I continue to make the same mistake over and over? I have even started to question my salvation. It's crazy how one sin can spiral out of control. I don't know what to do. I feel so helpless. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. I pray, ask for forgiveness, and somehow, find myself back in the same spot over and over again. What does this mean? Am I truly not saved? Am I just an idiot? Or, do I truly not get what it means to turn from my wicked ways?
What do you guys think... help, I am sinking here. I do feel convicted about this particular sin, but apparently, it isn't doing any good. Maybe I have just gotten comfortable with my sin and don't see it as a big deal anymore. I don't know..... I am sooooooooo confused!!!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
History Trivia for non-Dummies Blog
A Different View of an "Eye for Eye"
The quotation from Exodus 21:24, "eye for eye, foot for foot..." is often understood to mean that that people have a right to revenge an injury to them. This was true in Old Testament times, even though the Gospel of Matthew at 5:38 refers to it and then rejects it at 5:39 ("turn the other cheek") in the New Testament.
What is interesting about the "eye for an eye" quotation, however, is that in Old Testament times it was also meant to put a limit on the amount of vengeance people could take when they suffered at the hands of another.
In ancient times it was customary that if one person from a family killed a person from a different family, the tradition was to kill not only the killer, but also kill everyone in his whole family as well.
So an "eye for an eye" was not only meant to allow for retaliation, but also to limit the extent of the vengeance so that wholesale bloodshed did not occur between families. Vengeance was to be proportional to the harm a person received.
Source: A Short History of Philosophy, Solomon & Higgins
Confession. Be accountable to someone who really cares, loves you, and will not let you off the hook. It can't be someone who'll just excuse your actions, but can make a difference in your life. Is there someone?
And don't confess here. That won't help. You could care less what I think. (In fact until we're called heavenward, we'll never meet.) A warning: don't pick your fiancé to confess to! God willing, he can help later. But know this: marriage complicates. It enriches life and brings fulfillment, but God did not design it to be easy. Dealing with your sin now, especially recurring ones, won't go away with marriage and could actually become more difficult.
And then pray like you mean it! James (5:13ff) reminds us to confess our sins to each other and pray for each other. This cuts both ways. Your prayers should help place the focus on others who need you. Give to others in need. Engage your world. Empty yourself of everything being busy not for its own sake, but in an attempt to love other people deeply. And then let God, through others needs, fill your life and replace those sins. And this will also help your mind to rest on the holy, the eternal, just like Paul says in Philippians 4, "The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Grace and peace in Christ.
James 5
Philippians 4
Post a Comment