Side-Tracked

I so often have these high ideals. These thoughts of how I want to live and of how I want to be. Yet the reality most of the time is that I get side-tracked... I get distracted from what I want to do. I find this so frustrating. It's like I know what I want to do and how I want to live but I get no-where near it. I settle for less than the life I want to live.

The apostle Paul seems to have had the same frustration. In Romans he writes...

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am!

Yet a few verses later he is able to write...
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

As Christians we hold these two contrasts at the same time. We are new people, set free, living by the Spirit, following his lead into a new age. yet we are still struggling with this old sinful life that keeps rearing its head.

This is the reality of following God. It is not easy. But each day we take up the challenge to live the adventure. Each day we clothe ourselves in God's promises and God's truth and seek to live for Him; seek to reveal His love. Little by little we get there. God transforms us more and more as we seek Him. Yes, we get side-tracked, but we don't stay in the siddings for long. God is faithful. As we repent we find hope and grace. As we seek His love afresh we find ourselves back on track, redeemed and restored. With new passion and new hunger for our life with God.