Vicious Cycle

"So I find this law at work: When 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 the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members." -- Romans 7:21-23

Often we hear sin referred to as a vicious cycle, and it is. Each of us has at least one area of sin we cannot quite seem to master. For some, it is overeating or overspending. Others may have problems with sexual sin or pride. Whatever it may be, without God's help it is impossible to break the vicious cycle of sin in our lives. Even if we manage to free ourselves from sin’s shackles, often we live for years with the consequences of our prior sinful actions.

Paul's words to the Christians living in Rome capture the essence of the internal struggle with sin we sometimes face. Even as I write this, my heart is broken over the sin of indebtedness and the effect the consequences of that sin continue to have over my family, my ministry, and every other aspect of my life. God knows the burden that I carry, the desire I have to pay off my debt and move beyond it, and the prayer of my heart that my children won't follow in my footsteps in the area of financial stewardship. This is one of those lessons I have had to learn the hard way, and I pray that they are learning, too.

What is your vicious cycle? What is that one area of sin that is always right behind you, no matter how hard you try to outrun it? Take heart. God understands what you're up against. He knows that like Paul, we are all in a war of wills -- God's righteous will vs our own sinful will -- and that sometimes we lose a battle here and there because we are weak. The good news is that God's grace is sufficient for each us, for his power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12: 9) "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set [us] free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:1-2). Jesus has already won the victory over sin and death. Satan may accuse, but he can never condemn us because Christ paid our sin debt in full on the cross of Calvary!