Scriptural Foundation:
Romans 7:14-25 New Living Translation (NLT)
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. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
Ephesians 4:21-24 New Living Translation (NLT)
Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
Reflection:
At the center of every failure is human expectation. We expect for a person to act a certain way because it is the way you would act or react. As a result, that person fails to fulfill whatever expectation that you were looking to receive from them (i.e. love, respect, honesty…etc.). The only fact in life is that we all follow patterns. That is why it is so easy to point out faults in one another. The Bible says in Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If we are in Christ, we are also the same in a spiritual sense the same yesterday, today, and forever. The major difference is that we have our flesh to contend with here on earth. Loving the Lord is the easy part, but submitting your flesh to your calling is a daily struggle. This struggle begins in the mind and then eventually descends into your heart – good or bad.
My kiddos love going skating, I know it is throwback activity, but it is a great way for them to let out some energy. We have two roller skating rinks in our area – one of which plays Christian music on Thursday nights…score…but I digress… The best way I can think to describe the struggle in the mind is that it is like changing directions at a roller rink. For example, let’s say each person skating represents a thought/decision in your life. The Lord calls to your spirit for you to change directions, most of your thoughts/decisions respond to the Call and start moving in a different direction, however a few habits/areas continue to flow in the original direction. These few areas can cause confusion, resulting in things being knocked down, hurt or completely sidelined in your life. Now imagine another bus load of “people” coming to the same rink…this bus representing another individual’s thoughts/decisions. Now there are more factors/obstacles to consider when the Call of God goes out to your heart and the direction is changed again. This is where individuals get in trouble.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. – Matthew 7:3-5
We tend to apply God’s Word (i.e. the “plank” in our eye) to others differently than we do ourselves, why, because of our sinful nature that still exists in our earthly being – our scriptural foundation describes this internal struggle. We all know the golden rule – do unto others as you would have done unto you. You know God was the original Author of that, right?
Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. – Matthew 7:12
And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. – Luke 6:31
The bottom line is every failure/disappointment you are facing in your life is not due to the Lord not being enough, but because you have misplaced your expectation in someone or something else. Once you start striving again to move in the same direction that the Lord is leading you, individually, He can work on all the other “planks” in your eyes. Now once you can “see” clearer you may realize the issues that you were having in one or two areas in your life have cleared up due to your obedience. The Lord is the Author and Finisher of all our faiths…He is the only One, through the help of the Holy Spirit, in each Believer that is going to bring peace to any strife-filled relationship/situation you are facing today. God is not expecting perfection out of us, but He is expecting active obedience when it comes to getting our fleshly nature under control His control.
Seeking Revelation:
Grab your notebook:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28
- List our all your stressful and/or strife-filled areas in your life
- For each item, write down what would make this situation less stressful or less strife-filled.
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- Does those “solutions” require someone else to change?
- What if that person/situation never changes? Can you live at peace without compromising who you are in Christ?
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- Present this list to the Holy Spirit, ask Him to direct your steps in the direction of peace.
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- For some, the realization may come that you are the source of your own strife and the Lord needs you to stay on the potter’s wheel a little while longer.
- For others, it may be stepping back until the Lord is done working on that person – without your help.
- For still others, it may mean letting go completely of certain people/things.
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