3 Day Devotional: Dear Good People - Day 2

Scripture
Romans 7:21-23 (NRSV)
“So I find it to be a law that, when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.”

Reflection
Few things are more discouraging than giving your best effort and still feeling like you're struggling. You try to be patient, but irritation returns. You work to overcome anxiety, but worry resurfaces. You commit to obedience, yet the battle remains.

Paul reminds us that this experience is not unusual. He did not merely intend to do good; he pursued what was good. He delighted in God's law and exerted real effort. Yet every step toward obedience encountered resistance. Evil was not merely around him—it was close at hand.

This helps explain why doing wrong can feel easy while obedience often feels difficult. The Christian life involves spiritual conflict. The flesh resists what God desires. Every movement toward faithfulness is met with opposition.

That does not mean our effort is wasted. It means our effort was never meant to stand alone. God calls us to pursue obedience, but He also calls us to rely on His Spirit.

When today's struggles arise, do not be surprised or defeated. Let them remind you that you are in a real battle. More importantly, let them remind you that victory does not come through self-reliance but through dependence on Christ.

Keep pursuing what is good, but do not pursue it alone.

Reflection Questions
1. What recurring struggle tends to discourage you most?
2. How have you experienced resistance when trying to obey God?
3. How can you rely more intentionally on the Holy Spirit today?

Prayer
Lord, thank You for meeting me in the middle of my struggles. Strengthen me when obedience feels difficult. Help me remember that I do not fight alone. Teach me to depend on Your Spirit and not merely on my own effort. Amen.