For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although 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 me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
— Romans 7:18-25

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In My Nature, Yet In God’s Grace
By Jennifer Kane

In my nature—no good dwells,
In my nature, I find only fear,
Deceit woven deep, walls built high.
It is natural to run, to hide,
To fight, to break, to tear apart,
To turn inward, locked in self.

Unwilling and helpless, I am bound,
Yet—a new desire sparks within!
I long to escape the fear, to find faith,
To shatter lies and seek truth,
To stand firm, to step into light,
To build what’s been broken,
And watch these walls fall away.

This unnatural grace—a gift unearned,
For now, by God’s strength, I am willing,
Able, not by my power but His own.
I am made new, though my nature pulls,
And in this holy struggle, I rise,
Not by my strength but by grace alone.

May my spirit—God’s, not my own—
Prevail over mind and flesh,
Not by my will, but by His within.

~~~~~

Scripture: Romans 7:18-25

In Romans 7, Paul speaks of a familiar struggle: knowing what is right yet finding himself unable to do it. He expresses a frustration we all understand—the desire to live righteously but feeling bound by the power of sin. Despite knowing God’s law and wanting to follow it, Paul admits that he lacks the strength to live it out on his own. “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice” (Romans 7:19).

Paul’s struggle isn’t a lack of knowledge or desire but a lack of power. The law reveals the standard, but it cannot empower us to meet it. This leaves Paul—and us—in a vulnerable position, wrestling with sin and feeling the weight of our own limitations. Here, Paul calls himself a “wretched man,” a powerful expression of his helplessness. His cry, “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” shows the desperation of someone exhausted by the battle with sin.

Paul’s use of the term “body of death” may allude to an ancient practice where prisoners were shackled to a corpse as punishment, a vivid picture of the repulsiveness of sin clinging to us. Just as a decaying body would weigh down a living person, sin corrupts and burdens our spirit. Trying to battle sin alone leads to despair. But Paul doesn’t stay in despair—he finds hope in Jesus.

The turning point comes when Paul looks outside of himself: “I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” This is the hope for every Christian. Victory over sin is found not in trying harder or becoming “good enough,” but in surrendering to Jesus, who has already won the victory. He is not only our Savior but the power through which we can live differently.

Like Paul, we must admit that we can’t conquer sin by our own willpower. Recognizing our weakness is the first step to experiencing God’s strength. When we feel overwhelmed by our struggles, we can look to Jesus instead of to ourselves. Our victory is not in self-reliance but in Christ-reliance. Grace empowers us to live as new creations. While the struggle with sin may continue, we are no longer alone in it. Jesus walks with us and gives us the strength we lack.

As in my poem it says: we are “made new, though [our] nature pulls.” In God’s grace, we can rise, not by our own strength but by His Spirit within us.

~~~~~

Lord, I confess that I often feel as Paul did—weak, burdened, and unable to do the good I so desire. I struggle within myself, wanting to live righteously but feeling the pull of my sinful nature. Thank You for being my Savior, my strength, and my victory, even when I fall short.

I am grateful that You do not leave me to fight alone. Thank You for the gift of Your Spirit within me, guiding and empowering me in ways I cannot do on my own. Help me to rely not on my own power, but on Your grace, which is my true strength. When I face temptations and feel the weight of my weaknesses, remind me that Your presence is my refuge and that Your grace is sufficient.

Lord, teach me to lean on You with my whole heart, surrendering my struggles to You, knowing that You are faithful. Where I am weak, You are strong. Mold me, refine me, and lead me on this path of transformation. I trust that in You, I am free, and that each day, through Your Spirit, I am being made new. May I walk in the freedom, hope, and peace that You provide. Thank You, Jesus, for Your unending mercy and the victory I find in You alone.

In Your holy name, I pray, Amen.

November 9 2024