Amazing Grace

Today I am in pain and I feel like complaining, so that is exactly what I am going to do. I have had 4 cups of coffee and 3 advil, which helped with the head, but my pain is not just physical. I often wonder why I do certain things. I know something is wrong and that God would not want me to do it, and yet because it is something I want, I do it anyway. Living life in the moment is not all that it's cracked up to be. I often feel like Paul, talking of how though he wants to do what is right, all he can ever seem to do is what he doesn't want to do, which is to keep on sinning. Often I find myself crying out with him, "Oh wretched man that I am". Sometimes admittance and confession is helpful, after all, pretending to be fine and living a lie will only hurt you. But we cannot stop there. It needs to be followed up with repentance and change. It must be the first step on the road to redemption, followed by many more steps. If it is not, if we stop and admittance, then it is a pointless endeavor. Because it is easy to see and admit to a problem and do nothing to change. To just accept yourself as you are and pretend that it is alright. If you ask me, it seems that living like that will cause you to fall into the category of a hearer of the Word but not a doer of the Word. You see your problem and know it is wrong, but you just leave it alone and "accept yourself". Jesus takes me the way I am and died for me while i was still a sinner, but now as and adopted Son of God, he doesn't tell me that it is alright to continue living as though I am still a sinner. By no means should we sin more that grace may abound all the more!! Though He loves me as I am and forgives me when I make mistakes, I am not to use the free gift of His grace as an excuse. I am to live for Him and turn from my old self. Don't get me wrong, by no means am I saying that getting rid of the sin in our lives is something that happens over night or is something that we can get rid of ourselves. We cannot even take the first steps without the Lord convicting us and giving us the strength. But we must let Him. He cannot work in us if we harden our hearts and refuse to let Him in.  And so, if you are one of my brothers or sisters in Christ and you are reading this, I implore you to please listen to me and learn by my example. To not make the same mistakes that I have made in my life. Do not be content to accept your mistakes and leave them in your life. If you have  sin in your life right now, get on your knees before your Lord. Beg Him to take it from you, to give you the strength to live for Him, and to turn from your sinful self. Through Christ, all things are possible. "Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord."