Having a Heart in a Sometimes Heartless World
Day 214 - Resistance
Scripture focus: Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. James 4:5-6 NIV
How many good intentions have you sincerely intended to follow through on – and failed to launch? I can’t even count how many “shoulds” and “oughts” and “want tos” I’ve sworn by – only to ultimately NOT do any of them. Oh, I may have begun the mission, and I may have started with great passion and determination. Sincerity, passion, determination and even good intentions haven’t been enough to keep me keeping on to the finish line. I guess that’s why the writer of James warns us that if we want a life of freedom, we would be wise to expect a lot of resistance.
Lust – envies – Greek word epipotheo – an intense desire, a craving, a hunger, an ache, a yearning for something, a longing or pining; an intense, abnormal, excessive yearning; the craving for salt by a man who is dying of thirst; invisible, slippery, hard to pin down; the adult onset of mature, willful commitment to lust
Humans have intense, abnormal and excessive yearnings – that stand between us and our good intentions. This is a reality that we must face. And for many, we will allow that piece of information to inspire defeat.
But he gives us more grace.
One of my mentors once told me the truth always follows the “but”. And that’s been handy in listening to myself and others speak of our sincere and good intentions. We begin with the “should” and “oughts” and end with the “but”…always a good excuse for why we won’t follow through on our commitment to living large.
But he gives us more grace.
In spite of our excuse-making, and blame-shifting – he gives us more grace.
Perhaps because of our propensity to fall short, fall over and fall out of the race – he gives us more grace.
Even when we grow forgetful of God and our desire for freedom – he gives us more grace.
That’s a “but” worth remembering!
I don’t know what lusts possess your spirit and entice you away from your own good intentions – but he gives us more grace. May you seek the grace God so mercifully provides – may you find his new mercies and accept them as his gift to you when you wake up tomorrow morning. May we all rely more on God’s grace then our good intentions!
Recommended reading: In the morning read 2 Chronicles 30, 31; In the evening read Romans 15, Psalm 22.
How many good intentions have you sincerely intended to follow through on – and failed to launch? I can’t even count how many “shoulds” and “oughts” and “want tos” I’ve sworn by – only to ultimately NOT do any of them. Oh, I may have begun the mission, and I may have started with great passion and determination. Sincerity, passion, determination and even good intentions haven’t been enough to keep me keeping on to the finish line. I guess that’s why the writer of James warns us that if we want a life of freedom, we would be wise to expect a lot of resistance.
Lust – envies – Greek word epipotheo – an intense desire, a craving, a hunger, an ache, a yearning for something, a longing or pining; an intense, abnormal, excessive yearning; the craving for salt by a man who is dying of thirst; invisible, slippery, hard to pin down; the adult onset of mature, willful commitment to lust
Humans have intense, abnormal and excessive yearnings – that stand between us and our good intentions. This is a reality that we must face. And for many, we will allow that piece of information to inspire defeat.
But he gives us more grace.
One of my mentors once told me the truth always follows the “but”. And that’s been handy in listening to myself and others speak of our sincere and good intentions. We begin with the “should” and “oughts” and end with the “but”…always a good excuse for why we won’t follow through on our commitment to living large.
But he gives us more grace.
In spite of our excuse-making, and blame-shifting – he gives us more grace.
Perhaps because of our propensity to fall short, fall over and fall out of the race – he gives us more grace.
Even when we grow forgetful of God and our desire for freedom – he gives us more grace.
That’s a “but” worth remembering!
I don’t know what lusts possess your spirit and entice you away from your own good intentions – but he gives us more grace. May you seek the grace God so mercifully provides – may you find his new mercies and accept them as his gift to you when you wake up tomorrow morning. May we all rely more on God’s grace then our good intentions!
Recommended reading: In the morning read 2 Chronicles 30, 31; In the evening read Romans 15, Psalm 22.
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