The Answer

Several weeks ago I was visiting with a friend whom I hadn't seen in a couple years. As we were updating each other on things like jobs, family, health, etc., he made a comment that went something like this: "It sure is hard to live out your beliefs." I agreed without knowing that his words would have a prophetic touch for me.

Within 36 hours I had the opportunity to interact with three people who had a role in decisions about me that I didn't see as being positive decisions. My challenge? How to react to these people. Outwardly, I suppose you could say I handled myself well. Inwardly? Probably still smoldering a little if the truth be known.

Just to remind you, the name of my posts is "Grace Notes." Unfortunately I find myself struggling at times to live out the grace that I care about so very much. That troubles me. The past few weeks have brought pointed reminders to me that for all I profess about grace, too often I don't live gracefully. I hurt people by the things I say and do. That's not being gracious. And while I want to be a "champion" of grace, I want my actions to be more consistent with my words. It pains me immensely when that's not the case.

I take solace in the fact that I'm apparently not the first one who has struggled with knowing how he ought to live, yet struggling with actually living that way. Notice as I quote a rather extended selection of Romans 7 from "The Message."

"What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise...I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me?...The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does."

Paul makes it exceedingly clear for those of us who find ourselves in the dilemma of doing what we don't want to do and not being able to do what we'd really like to do, that the answer to our dilemma is Jesus Christ. Without Him and His grace the dilemma would continue to haunt us until our dying day. But by His grace and His grace alone, my actions and my words can more consistently be in alignment, and when they aren't, I can be assured that His grace covers my sin.

The dilemma--my human nature. The anwer--Jesus Christ.

May you find to all your dilemmas that Jesus Christ is indeed, The Answer!