Old Habits

Saul recognized his mistakes. Driven by jealousy and fear, he and his army had been pursuing David relentlessly, treating him as a rival to be eliminated.

Then, one night when Saul and his men were sleeping, David snuck into their camp. Sparing Saul, he took a spear and jug of water. After returning to safety, David shouted to Saul, asking why he was pursuing him.

Acknowledging that he had “sinned” and “committed a serious error,” Saul promised to stop pursuing David. But in the end, Saul would not change, and he soon returned to chasing David.

Many people are like Saul. Although they recognize their problems and say they would like to change, they cannot shake the pull of sins and old habits.

Paul had a similar experience. Feeling powerless, he confessed, “I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.” But this realization helped him realize why he desperately needed Jesus (Romans 7:15-25).

There are many ways that people throughout society deal with these kinds of frustrations. Many go through counseling, enter 12-step programs, or simply try to become more disciplined.

But even though such things may be helpful at times, God offers us a different way…a powerful way…an effective way. This begins when we recognize our weaknesses and realize we cannot change by ourselves. It starts when we make Jesus the Lord of our lives and actively seek His help. It means being filled with the Spirit and living according to God’s Word.

As Paul discovered, our flesh may be weak but “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1-2).

In your life, don’t live in condemnation or failure. The answer is in Jesus!