For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Romans 3:23-24

We have all sinned. Our fallen nature causes us to continue to sin, and, like Paul, we are frustrated by doing what we don’t want to do. 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) Paul recognized that there was a battle going on in his life between what he knew was right and what was wrong – a battle between his sinful nature and the nature of Christ at work in Him. He recognized that he was powerless to live a blameless life and that only Jesus Christ could save him.

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:24)

Do you ever feel as though you do things that you don’t want to do?

Paul’s struggle is our struggle as our flesh nature contends with the Holy Spirit in us. Paul’s hope is our hope – that Jesus Christ has saved us from this battle and has offered us grace to contend for God’s will in our life. As you consider the areas of struggle in your life, think about what might be the root of those struggles. James puts is this way, What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. (James 4:1-2)

Could it be that the root of our struggles is the sin of pride and not getting our own way? Paul points us to the way out – thanks be to God that we are justified by grace, for we have all sinned.

Heavenly Father, Thank you for Your Son, Jesus Christ, who turns my defeat into victory. Grant me courage to honestly face the desires that battle within me and to say, like Paul, “thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” In Jesus’ name, Amen