If I’m a Christian, Why Do I Struggle with Sin so Much?
Even when my intentions are good, it can still fall apart.
I started the day with devotions.
That’s a sign of a Christian who has it together, right?
I prayed for the Lord to use me and let my life be a witness to others.
It wasn’t even three hours later that my good intentions fell apart.
Something didn’t go as planned with someone I had hired.
When the situation got frustrating, I snapped at the person on the other end of the phone.
My patience dwindled as my temper flared.
My stress level climbed because I was worried the problem would escalate into something more complicated. I didn’t want to give it more of my time and energy.
Later, when speaking to a friend, I felt the need to rehash the situation and speak badly about the person I had hired.
Instead of trusting the Lord, I chose to focus on all that could go wrong.
Afterward, the Lord convicted my heart and brought scripture to my mind:
Be slow to get angry (James 1:19)
Build others up, not tear them down (Ephesians 4:29)
Do not be anxious (Philippians 4:6-8)
Trust the Lord. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
I felt like such a failure. I never wanted to sin, and yet I did it so quickly and easily.
Paul felt that way too (Romans 7:15-20). He was perplexed because it seemed no matter how much he wanted to do the right thing, he ended up doing the opposite.
It’s a given that we will struggle with sin.
We won’t be sinless until this life is over.
Paul wonders who will help him do the right thing when he’s not strong enough. He answers this question in Romans 7:21-25. Jesus Christ is able to deliver us.
This journey through life isn’t a sprint but a marathon.
There will be successes and failures (sometimes within hours of each other).
We are called to persevere (James 1:12). This means we keep going in spite of our failures and obstacles.
We can’t give up. We repent and keep walking. God will help us battle sin.
Dear Lord, help me live today in your strength so I don’t fall into sin. Lead me in each step.
Hi Kate, thanks for sharing. This topic is always coming up with Christians - so much so, that I had to really think, study, and pray about it. The thing to remember is that our sin was washed away by the blood of Jesus. That is the gospel truth. So, what is this sin that we talk about?.. it is the purification process. We are being sanctified day by day. When we live guided by the Holy Spirit, these things will happen less and less. When we are not abiding, it happens.. but the more vigilant we are about being filled with the spirit and trying to plan our days so that we are not overburdened the better we will become. A slip like that is just a sign of being out of alignment. As a believer, we can be restored quickly - we learn and move on. It is possible to live a sinless life. Jesus did it, so we can too, but only if we die to ourselves and take up our cross daily.
I am always failing to do what( I feel my insides almost scream out in frustration @ me)I know I have every reason to succeed in doing. This has a lot to do with procrastination, and being in a rut that I hate passionately most times, however return to bc on some carnal Christian level comforts me. I love God so much and want so badly to submit more completely to Him. The Holy Spirit is so gentle yet persistent. I am making headway, I just have to ,like u said stay in constant contact w/Jesus to help.Sometimes with the most ridiculously small tasks.I have more hope as the distress, from world and losses in my personal life(my dog died 1wk b4 Christmas) although the pain is intense, I am soooo grateful to have this happen bc I know God is using it to bring me closer. Comfort has never been a very powerful growth tool for me as a Christian. God has a plan for all of us .Thanks for your post it made me feel not alone, & am thankful 4 reminder to study Galatians.Be blessed