TRY NOT TO TRIP

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“Tripped me up again.”

“Man, I hate when I go and do that, yet again.”

“Should have seen it coming.”

What you say?

You know, that habit, that pesky transgression, that troublesome, persistent, reoccurring sin.

That's what!

You have one of those?

Hair trigger temper or a loose tongue?

Leering eyes or a gossipy chatter?

A less than honest streak when the pressure is on?

Come on be honest, you know what I am talking about. That thing or those things that we are desperately striving to not do, things we want to rectify and put behind us but seem to keep on doing.

You know, those things our buddy Paul is talking about here:

Romans 7:18-25

…the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.

It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.

I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?

The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

There are some things Paul recognized when it came to this little reoccurring sin issue; those troublesome “tripping” transgressions.

He realized that:

…those sins sabotaged his heart for GOD.

…those sins often led to more bad choices that in turn led to feeling bad about himself.

…those sins, those “tripping sins” had become so prevalent they were predictable.

Clearly they frustrated him. Clearly they frustrate me too. I am pretty confident you probably feel the same way.

I can fully empathize with Paul’s lament about wanting to do the right things only to find himself tripped up time and time again.

I don’t know about you but there are days where this passage comes to mind more than once; those days where I could actually see myself hanging out and commiserating with Paul over a little lamb kabob or something about the issue because I can't seem to shake it either.

Thankfully Paul, after all of his exposition and lamenting, does keep things in perspective for both himself and us. I am so thankful he did!

He reminds as that in spite of all the mistakes, all the failed attempts, the trips and all the predictable patterns, Jesus is still there. Jesus is ready to help and guide. And Jesus has already set things right for us!

Romans 8:1

So now, those who are in Christ Jesus are not judged guilty

Maybe today’s little thought is just for me as I lament an afternoon that was a little more contradictory than Christ-like, perhaps more rebellious than reverent.

Or maybe, just maybe, you have one of these reoccurring sins that keep tripping you, hurting you, nagging you and keeping you from being your best for GOD.

If so, join me and Paul in confessing that challenge. Then thank GOD for clearing the fate of our sinful nature through Christ Jesus and resolve to move forward today with a renewed zeal to walk in obedience and grace!

1 John 1:9

But if we own up to our sins, God shows that He is faithful and just by forgiving us of our sins and purifying us from the pollution of all the bad things we have done.

And let’s do as Paul wished to do, “serve God with all of our hearts and mind!”

And try not to trip!

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney