There's a quote by C.S Lewis that says: "We read to know that we are not alone."
I've been reading the Bible again starting from Acts as I just love Paul's Christian journey. I'm now in Romans, Romans chapter 7 to be specific and reading it has made me fall in love with it all over again.
There is something extremely reassuring when reading that those who you deem to be basically the 'perfect Christian' is struggling just like you.
This is how I feel when reading Romans 7.
To me, after his conversion, Paul was that 'perfect Christian'; he knew God so intimately. His whole life was about pleasing God and doing God's will. Completely selfless and wholly submitted to spreading the gospel and bringing people to Christ.
Knowing this of Paul, it was quite intimidating thinking of how i keep failing at being consistent with having a relationship with God, with praying, with being a good witness to those around me that I became a bit discouraged.
Paul talking about his struggle with sin really humanised him in my mind. Not that he wasn't human but the way he lived his life, his character, his closeness and relationship with God; it felt unattainable. But reading this chapter made me realise that my struggle with sin is not alone.
"And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I wan't to do right but I can't. 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." - Romans 7:18-19 [NLT]
I've been reading the Bible again starting from Acts as I just love Paul's Christian journey. I'm now in Romans, Romans chapter 7 to be specific and reading it has made me fall in love with it all over again.
There is something extremely reassuring when reading that those who you deem to be basically the 'perfect Christian' is struggling just like you.
This is how I feel when reading Romans 7.
To me, after his conversion, Paul was that 'perfect Christian'; he knew God so intimately. His whole life was about pleasing God and doing God's will. Completely selfless and wholly submitted to spreading the gospel and bringing people to Christ.
Knowing this of Paul, it was quite intimidating thinking of how i keep failing at being consistent with having a relationship with God, with praying, with being a good witness to those around me that I became a bit discouraged.
Paul talking about his struggle with sin really humanised him in my mind. Not that he wasn't human but the way he lived his life, his character, his closeness and relationship with God; it felt unattainable. But reading this chapter made me realise that my struggle with sin is not alone.
"And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I wan't to do right but I can't. 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." - Romans 7:18-19 [NLT]
This battle with sin, trying to live righteously; it is exhausting. Failing and failing again, it feels like there is no hope, that there is no progression that is happening in this Christian journey.
But thank God for Jesus!
"Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord." - Romans 7:24-25 [NLT]
A sermon that I cherish summarises the Christian journey perfectly. It is day by day, moment by moment.
