You might have to think about this one. I know I had to.
James 1:2-3 says, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."
And Romans 7:24-25, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."
When we become children of God, some of us tend to hold onto the chains Christ has broken. The chains of old habits, addictions and favorite sins. The sins that He allowed to nail Him to the cross...instead of us. We are free!!! Why do we run back to our prison? God will never disown us, but why do we want to grab our old life back and cling to it like it's our first love or something? There's a song that my brother listens to, and it just hit me today how true this is:
James 1:2-3 says, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."
And Romans 7:24-25, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."
When we become children of God, some of us tend to hold onto the chains Christ has broken. The chains of old habits, addictions and favorite sins. The sins that He allowed to nail Him to the cross...instead of us. We are free!!! Why do we run back to our prison? God will never disown us, but why do we want to grab our old life back and cling to it like it's our first love or something? There's a song that my brother listens to, and it just hit me today how true this is:
Hallelujah, we are free to struggle
We're not struggling to be free
Your blood bought, and makes us children
Children, drop your chains and sing
Be joyful when you are tried. The struggle to be godly works patience in you. Instead of struggling to be free from all the nothingness I felt before I was saved, I am now free to choose to do the right thing (and it is a struggle - check out Romans 7). I I was lugging around such a heavy weight before I met Christ. My sins were awful. And on top of all the guilt and pressure, I knew I would spend an eternity away from God, in hell. Now I will be going to heaven and I am completely, amazingly, miraculously free! My heart feels light and I am hopeful. There is power in His blood. Yes, we struggle. But thank God for your struggles!!! It is all for you, to help you grow, to exercise your faith, to make you patient. The struggle to be free was hopeless on our part. But now our old man is crucified with Christ, and we have resurrected to a new life with Him! He has overcome where we could not and He will continue to do so through us. The struggle against our flesh is of Him and through Him. It is our choice to take hold on victory, as it is ours forever.
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