Whew! Sundays Over!

Photo by Michael Wall of Wall2Wall Foto

A girl in my 11^th grade English class once said, “I love being Catholic! I can have my sins forgiven Saturday night, and then live like hell the rest of the week.” Now, I’m just quoting her and not saying a thing about the Catholic faith, so please, no emails. I’m not Catholic, but being honest, have had similar thoughts. Only mine are more like, “Ok. I got the Sunday thing done. Now, I can indulge my flesh.”

A fight, a struggle. I want to do the right thing. I want to please and obey God, but I find no matter how long I have been doing this, I still struggle with thoughts of wanting to do what I want to do. Some are just down right thoughts of being lazy.

The great apostle Paul struggled as well.

Rom 7:18 I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it.
Rom 7:19 I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. (MSG)

So how, or what are we to do then? 1) Of course ask God to help us. We will never be able to do it on our own. 2) Bring every thought into captivity. Be honest about the thought, and if it is a bad thought then start looking for the door that has a sign above it that reads, “EXIT”. God promises to make a way of escape. Sometimes that exit may be praying. Have you ever sinned while praying? I haven’t. Leave the room. See what your family is doing, or call a friend. And if they are a trusted friend, tell them you are struggling.

My classmate, I mentioned in the beginning, was married. Her husband shoved a shotgun in her mouth and pulled the trigger before that school year was over. I have often wondered what God thinks when people live like she did on a regular basis. I yield my opinions to God. This one thing I know for sure: I can overcome, because Jesus overcame first, and so can you.