The Struggle is Real
The Struggle Is Real
“Paul was saved around 35 A.D., and we believe he wrote this letter to the Romans in about 57 A.D. That means he had been a believer for 22 years, and after 22 years of knowing Jesus Christ, he still struggled with sin… Paul’s admitting the struggle is real. So, what does this struggle look like? Two things:
- We struggle to not do evil.
- We struggle to do what is good.”
-Pastor Tony Walliser
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”
– Romans 7:15-25 NIV
This almost sounds like a biblical version of a Dr. Seuss book, doesn’t it?
In the midst of wording that could lead us to get lost in the text, is a message that is plain and simple:
I desire to do what is good and right and pure. And at the same time, I desire to do what is worldly and sinful.
My sinful nature and my desire for a holy, godly nature are at odds. And a battle ensues on a daily, even moment-by-moment basis.
I hate my worldly desires…I love my godly desires, but all too often I do what I hate, and I don’t do what I love.
Whether a movie or TV show or becoming frustrated with poor service, a wayward referee, a selfish and non-attentive driver, or something far deeper – I do what I hate and don’t do what I love.
I can pray, I can promise, I can strive, but the battle is alive within me.
Yet, the more that I pray – the more the worldly desires will be squelched, and I can focus on what I long to be…the godly man I’m striving to become.
Even so, the war within wages on.
Yet, the Ultimate Victory has already been won.
We are not alone as we face our struggles and our battles.
We are not alone as we strive for godliness.
From our knees, we can stand and fight wearing the full armor.
Through prayer and supplication, we can continue to strive to be who it is He has called us and made us to be.
The battle is upon us.
The struggle is real.