Fighting Chance

The most popular sentence in our home is this very simple two worder "Uel, no!!". This sentence could be said in different tones from the lower register until the high register depending on the situation and the mood of the speaker.

Uel is our 1 year old who has started to walk. Once he has gained that confidence he would walk non stop here and there all over the house. As per other kids his age he is so curious about things ranging from electronics like TV, router, laptop to usual ordinary things like mirror, garbage bin (yes, i know what?!), and hanger. To keep it short he touches everything that he wants.

One thing that i realize the more we say no to one and other acts the more he would try to touch it. my wife Gil always says that this is the nature of 1 year old who is curious about everything. Although he might know that it is wrong (he always wiggles his pointer when we say Uel no no no) he keeps doing it as if he has no control over his urge.

I realize this is actually the same struggle I have. Romans 7 mentions this clearly.

"I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 

But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 

But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 

I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin."

So many times I struggle with myself since I love God but there is still the urge to go back to my old habit that wants to satisfy the flesh. One day during quiet time when praying about this the word fighting chance came up. The cross, the sacrifice of Jesus, gives us the fighting chance to be free from bondage of sin, be a better version of us, and fulfill the purpose of our lives.

How I wish after I know Jesus and accept Him as personal Savior He will turn into small Jesus, mini me version of Jesus i might say, with just a snap of finger. Unfortunately it does not work that way. What the cross gives is room for us to breathe. It surrounds us with grace so everytime we fall we have another chance and another chance and another chance to try again. It gives us assurance, anchor, foundation, and identity through what Jesus has done on the cross. Thus our mistakes and failures do not define us. Making mistakes is not about life and death or heaven and hell anymore.

Secondly the cross gives us fighting chance through the Holy Spirit. Once we invite Jesus into our heart we receive the Holy Spirit into our lives. If you are like me we want to love God more and be a better person. This is what Holy Spirit does. He empowers and leads us to be able to say no to our oldselves and bondage of the past (thank you Ps Saula for this truth!!). All we have to do is to ask and obey when He leads.

We can be a better person and we will be a better person. The cross gives us the fighting chance. If you are struggling, keep on going, don't stop. Don't stop coming to God to ask for forgiveness because He is faithful. Nothing that we do will make Him love us less. Don't stop to ask the Holy Spirit to lead you and empower you. Just don't give up, breakthrough is coming..