Have you ever done something, then later thought to yourself, What Was I Thinking?? That is not 'me'. That is not what I am about.
Have you ever done something or said something that didn't align with your beliefs? That didn't measure up to your own personal standards?
I have.
Do you beat yourself up about it? Do you get frustrated knowing that what you've said or done does not represent who you know that you are?
I would.
Then I read this verse.
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 (NIV)
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. 19 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. 20 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.Romans 7:18-20 (NLT)
It is the sin living in me.
When we know what is causing us to do things that do not align with what we know to be right, then we know how to deal with it.
We pray against the sin and ask for grace.
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. Romans 7:23 (NLT)
The mind is the initiator of all actions. Our actions are a direct result of our thoughts.
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. Romans 7:25 (NLT)
As Christians, you and I have a new nature, which is actually the nature of God deposited in us at the New Birth. We have to however, learn to think according to the mind of Christ.
Monday, February 25, 2008
What Was I Thinking??
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8 comments:
The mind is continually our most fierce battle ground isn't it? So many wars won or lost based on what we allow ourselves to meditate on.
That old sinful nature seems to always be trying to get a party started in our minds...thank God for Grace and Mercy and Wisdom and all the weapons we need to defeat the flesh.
Great post - it really lines up stuff that I'm reading... well one of the three books.
Sometimes it is shocking to look in the mirror. I'm thankful to have a God who is grace!!
Sometimes we blow it and do the things we don't want to do or say... that is where we ask for grace from God and others... and keep moving on.
Its all a journey of learning to lean hard on God to help us.
Great post.
Thank you fro visiting my blog. It is very nice to meet you.
Thanks so much for this post. It is a powerful reminder of the constant battle between evil and good. I too have had moments of "I can't believe I did that". This comes at a time when I really needed it!
Sometimes the answers are right in front of us and we don't see it.
This was a great verse, because I have thought the same thing- Why did I do that!
Great post.
SOOOOO true!!!! good post. Grace and mercy, where would we be with out the two.
Thank God!!!!!
Rhonda,
I actually LOVE this verse and have used it SEVERAL (thousand) times with my kids. Especially my oldest (almost 14)...it seems that He knows what he should be doing and yet at times struggles by doing the wrong choice. We always take him back to THIS VERSE and show him that he is not alone in this struggle, but that he should always strive to do the right thing.
Good Words Today!
Melissa
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