BEYOND THE CLOUDS OF OUR PROBLEMS
JUST NOT ABLE
TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT
A few months ago a young woman phoned me, a stranger to her, to ask for assistance. She had been given the phone number and thought that I could help her. In the course of the phone call she said in despair something like this: "I try and try to do what is right, but it always turns out wrong."
This sort of problem is sometimes seen in those who have fallen out with the law. They really intend to turn over a new leaf, but then some circumstance comes along, and they offend again.
Others, who may be addicted to some substance, may be genuine in their desire to kick the habit. But then the pressures of life build up, and they fall again, hoping to get some temporary relief from the stress.
I suppose we have all heard of those people who have no trouble stopping smoking. No trouble at all - they have done it 15 times!
But really, the problem of knowing what is right and doing what is right, affects us all, one way or another.
Because of that, this article provides some important information. You will benefit more, if you take the time to read two other articles in this website, called: "Beyond Your Problems There Is Hope;" and "God's Incredible Promise."
Read them? Good. Now that you know that God has promised to save us from the many mistakes that we all seem to make, (called sin in the Bible), - and that we can take part in that promise as we believe in His name, - you may be ready for another surprising statement. And that is, that none of us, no matter how good we feel that we may be, or how confident that we may be, can do anything by ourselves to stop making these mistakes. We need help from outside ourselves.
The great Paul, known by many Christians as St. Paul, told of a time in his life when he must almost have felt like giving up, because he knew what was right, yet he continued to do what was wrong. And it nearly tore him apart. This is what he said:
"That which I do, I allow not; for what I would do, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I." Want to check that out? You'll find it in the Bible, in the book of Romans, chapter 7 and verse 15 .
What Paul was saying is that though he knew what was right, he did what was wrong. And he hated himself for it. He simply had no moral strength to stop himself doing wrong things. And the fact that he hated himself for it just made matters worse.
Finally, in desperation, Paul cried out - ( see it in verses 25 and 26 ), "O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Paul's discovery is for us too. Everyone of us. We don't need to be in a situation of committing a crime, or of being addicted to some substance. We are all in the same boat. None of us by ourselves can do what is right. It is only as we realise that there is unlimited help from God through Jesus Christ, that we can live our lives successfully.
It is only then, that we can access strength through Jesus to help us to do what is right. This realisation may come at the same time that we really believe in His name - which name means that He will save us from sin.
We just need to continue to believe in Him, to ask Him every day for help, and to recognize our dependence on His righteousness, which He will freely give to all who believe in Him.
May you experience that sort of success in your life.
G.S.Board.
Copyright © G.S.Board.28 July 2003. All Rights Reserved.BEEN HELPED BY THIS WEBSITE? PLEASE TELL OTHERS ABOUT IT TOO -
ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO MAY BE GOING THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME.