"But I love it God..."
Do you ever feel like God is telling you to give something up…walk away from something? What if that something is something that you want to hold on to? Well, join the club! There’s a constant struggle between what we perceive we want and what God wants.
Galatians 5:17 HCSB tells us, “For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.”
Paul also makes a great point in Romans 7:15-20 NIV: “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.”
I know that scripture can make your head swim but try reading it again slower, line by line (check out the NLT version as well). Paul expresses how he wants to do the right thing but instead he keeps doing all of the bad stuff. It’s hard for him to do the right stuff that he knows he should do. He’s resolved that he knows that it is the sin that is in him and because of that, the law is needed and good.
I write all of this just to say that we naturally want things that are not good for us…a certain relationship or friendship, aspirations that take us away from God, you name it! All the more reason we need a SAVIOR like Jesus. Someone who has been THE example for us to follow and who has given us a road map! Also just like in the title picture, He can give us so much more than what we could ever imagine for ourselves! So here’s my challenge to you: when you are feeling that nudge to change or let go of something…TRUST GOD AND OBEY THAT NUDGE! Let’s all wait in expectation for how God will show up and show out in your life!