It's Tough to be Good

Romans 7:18-19 "..... 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."

As a person who has battled with my weight for many years, I can truly relate to the internal struggle Paul is speaking of in today's scripture. How many times have I felt that I was finally doing "good" on my diet to suddenly succumb to a tempting slice of cake or to just settle for a burger because I had no time to prepare a nourishing meal? My desire was to stay on track, but external forces managed to get me off course.

Even if weight is not your struggle, I am certain that you can relate to me in some other area of your life. I want you to realize that God understands that "being good" is something that we need to work on--to cultivate--in our lives. It is something that is very difficult to do on our own--that it is why it must be the GIFT of God's Spirit working through us.

Goodness, the sixth fruit of the Holy Spirit, describes the character of a person who is full of good will or charity towards others. It is doing the right thing when no one else is watching because it is the RIGHT thing to do.

Evidence of goodness at work in our lives would be the outward actions of being helpful, sympathetic, fair, truthful, forgiving, etc. It is putting into practice Matthew 7:12 "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you". It is following the Golden Rule in all we do.

My challenge to you today is to realize that the battle "to be good" is one that is worth fighting for--worth cultivating. Success in this area will provide a glimpse of the love that God has for us. It would be a way for us to make Psalm 27:13 a reality for those we encounter--"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."

Dear Lord, My deepest desire is for others to see Your goodness in MY actions. I want to be a reflection of Your goodness in the presence of others as well as when others are not around. I want to be more like You each and everyday.

I thank You Jesus for dying for me. I believe that You are Lord and that God raised You from the grave so that I can have eternal life. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.