I know I need to, but I don’t know how to change. There are things in my life that need to go and I know it. In fact, I keep telling myself to stop, but nothing changes and I know it never will if I keep doing what I’m doing.
“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.” Romans 7:19 NLT
Disturbed peace
Tethered to a red leash, my dog walks obediently through my new neighborhood. She’s good company and listens to nearly everything I say. That one day recently when the sun came out, my new neighbor drove by in his truck, rolled down the window and leaned out to greet her, “You sure have a pretty voice,” he said. Good grief, though she listens, apparently she has plenty to say herself. Though she minds well, I don’t know how to make her stop barking.
“I have discovered this principle of life – that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.” Romans 7:21 NLT
Fruitless efforts
She goes nuts if anyone comes to the door, or walks by, or drives by, or… In fact, she was recently banned from her surrogate mom’s house because, well, the neighbors weren’t so fond of her incessant pretty voice. I don’t know what to do, but I know what I’m doing isn’t working.
“I don’t really understand myself, I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it.” Romans 7:15 NLT
Stop it
Every time she barks, I say, “Stop that barking!” Every. Single. Time. Saying that out loud sounds ridiculous in my own ears, but I bet you do the same thing. That habit, that thought, that sin in your life, how many times do you tell yourself to “stop it,” only to continue in the same old rut? Who knows, maybe it’s just me.
“So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.” Romans 7:14 NLT
Too human or too canine
In my life there’s this issue, sin (or two or so) that I need to deal with decisively. Instead, I toss meaningless words to it without action. As you can imagine, nothing changes. Like my canine, my flesh is not inclined to obey my stern voice. Something has to change, because doing the same thing over and over never achieves a different result.
But here’s the problem, we don’t really expect a different result. Do we? I know good and well my dog isn’t going to stop barking because I said so, just as well as know I can’t deal with my sin by chastising it.
“Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” Romans 7:24 NLT
Is this serious?
I suppose if I took action, I could modify her behavior, after all, she’s the smartest dog who ever lived. But I’m not exactly sure what to do and it would take effort or money and honestly, it doesn’t bother me that much. Maybe I have to spell this out, or maybe you get it. We don’t deal with our sin, because it doesn’t bother us that much. What’s a little noise going to hurt anyway? It’s simply too much trouble to take difference-making action for something we trivialize.
We don’t deal with our sin, because it doesn’t bother us that much.We don't deal with our sin, because it doesn't bother us that much #TimetoChange Click To Tweet
I don’t know how
Now things need to change, because things have changed. You see, I don’t have anyone to keep her when I’m gone, so now her barking inconveniences me. Suddenly, I’m motivated to change. It’s really not that I don’t know how, rather it’s a lot of trouble. I mean, where’s the newspaper when you need it?
We change our behavior when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of change ~ author unknown
You know what’s painful? Seeing our sin as God sees our sin. When we invite the Holy Spirit to convict us, then we will want to change. Even then, telling ourselves to stop will have no impact.
Radical action is needed;
confession
repentance
restitution
Or maybe a rolled up newspaper.
“Stop it.”
Do whatever it takes. Sorry, I’m talking to myself again.
Definitely the smartest dog there is!
No doubt!