Choosing God’s Best Pt. 1

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate, I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ” - Romans 7:15-18
 
 
Yesterday we talked about the battle between our sinful nature and the desire of the Spirit. When you become a Christian, God sends the Holy Spirit to reside in you. This is how you know what God wants for you. As we mentioned, the challenge is to choose the way of the Spirit rather than our human nature. In today’s key passage in Romans, Paul talks about how difficult this can be.  
 
So often we look at someone close to us, and we cannot believe a decision they have chosen, or a lifestyle they are living. To us it is so clear what they should be doing and what they should not. When looking at others the “right choice” becomes very visible. And if we step back, it is just as visible in our own lives, though the circumstances might be completely different. What challenges the decisions of those close to us are the same challenges we face personally. No matter the circumstance, the difficulty comes from a sinful nature to do what we desire versus what God desires for us.  
 
After making the decision, our reaction is always the same. If we chose the way of the Spirit, we are happy we did and never regret it. However, if we choose our sinful nature, we almost immediately regret the decision after the sin is committed. This is because our sinful nature is about satisfying what we want in the moment, while the way of the Spirit is leading us towards what we want most. God rewards us with His best when we wait for His timing. When you are faced with a decision and come to a cross road, choose to forfeit the immediate, in favor of God’s best.