do not/do
I'm not very good at waiting, especially when I feel uncertain or in suspense about what I'm waiting for. This attribute leads me to waste a lot of time, because I get so tied up in knots that I can't simply settle down and do something productive -- despite intellectually recognizing that it would make way more sense to check things off my to-do list while I'm waiting. Whatever I'm waiting for will get here eventually, and meanwhile, I might as well get something done. Sheesh.
And yet.
This always reminds me of that verse in Romans when the apostle Paul laments that "I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate" (Rom. 7:15). This is the part I tend to remember, because it so clearly applies. I've read Romans about a zillion times, being Lutheran and all, and therefore a big fan, but still I tend to forget what comes next, once Paul is done lamenting that humans, including him, aren't ever able to follow the law to the letter by themselves. Turns out Romans 8 has some pretty nifty things to say, such as:
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death."--Rom. 8:1-2. In other words, all is not lost -- I may not be perfect, but I don't have to be. Thank heavens! (Literally.)
"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit."--Rom. 8:5. So perhaps I should be redirecting my efforts away from trying to control everything on my own in earthly terms, and trust that there is a larger force at work, guiding me.
"But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you."--Rom. 8:9. See above; I can rejoice that I am granted the ability to redirect my efforts through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit! It isn't on me; redirection comes through trust in the gift that has been granted to me.
"For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry 'Abba! Father!' it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God..."--Rom. 15-16. Again, I don't need to be stuck. My world is larger than me, and I belong to Someone. Don't have to live as though I'm on a desert island. Which is good, because I'm not big into swimming and I've always suspected island life would leave me feeling claustrophobic.
Now, to actually internalize all this. ;-)
And yet.
This always reminds me of that verse in Romans when the apostle Paul laments that "I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate" (Rom. 7:15). This is the part I tend to remember, because it so clearly applies. I've read Romans about a zillion times, being Lutheran and all, and therefore a big fan, but still I tend to forget what comes next, once Paul is done lamenting that humans, including him, aren't ever able to follow the law to the letter by themselves. Turns out Romans 8 has some pretty nifty things to say, such as:
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death."--Rom. 8:1-2. In other words, all is not lost -- I may not be perfect, but I don't have to be. Thank heavens! (Literally.)
"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit."--Rom. 8:5. So perhaps I should be redirecting my efforts away from trying to control everything on my own in earthly terms, and trust that there is a larger force at work, guiding me.
"But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you."--Rom. 8:9. See above; I can rejoice that I am granted the ability to redirect my efforts through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit! It isn't on me; redirection comes through trust in the gift that has been granted to me.
"For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry 'Abba! Father!' it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God..."--Rom. 15-16. Again, I don't need to be stuck. My world is larger than me, and I belong to Someone. Don't have to live as though I'm on a desert island. Which is good, because I'm not big into swimming and I've always suspected island life would leave me feeling claustrophobic.
Now, to actually internalize all this. ;-)
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