24 October | Teens
«O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?… I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!» Romans 7: 24,25
Have you ever felt like you're in an internal battle, where one part of you wants to do good, but another part always seems to want to do the opposite? It's as if we have two “I's” inside us, one that wants to follow God's ways and another that wants to follow our own desires. This internal struggle is something we all face, and the apostle Paul describes this battle in Romans 7.
Paul talks about how, even though he wanted to do good, he ended up doing evil. This happens because, unfortunately, we have a sinful nature, which inclines us to do evil. But the good news is that we are not alone in this battle. Paul ends this passage with a declaration of hope: “I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” It is through Jesus that we find the strength to win this inner battle.
When we feel frustrated because we can't always do good, we can remember that Jesus understands us and is ready to help us. He wants to give us His strength to help us overcome our weaknesses. And even if we fail, He will be there the next day, always to help us.
Take Action
How about a self-control challenge? Choose a habit that you know isn't good and try to avoid it for a week. It could be something like not eating sweets, not staying on screens for too long, or not fighting with your siblings. During that week, whenever you feel the urge to do that thing, pray to God for the strength to resist. This will help you understand the internal struggle that Paul describes and the importance of trusting God to help us overcome our weaknesses.