Truly Struggling

Andree Seu:

I have developed a distaste for the word “struggling”—as in “I am struggling with anger” (or lust, or homosexuality, or a bad temper, etc.).

It is a perfectly good word, and I know there are some people who are really “struggling.” But many other people are spoiling the word for everybody. They are using “struggling” to mean something more like “repeatedly giving in”—which is almost the opposite of “struggling,” seems to me.

I wonder what Jesus would say (will say) when we all come to give an account:

“For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God, and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17)

When that day comes, Christ will ask each of his children if we “fought the good fight” and “kept the faith” and were workman with no need to be ashamed (2 Timothy 2:15). The Word says:

“In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood” (Hebrews 12:4).

The point is that you should.

So today on my prayer walk I had to repent of some dilly-dallying in a particular sin. I had to make up my mind to put to death the wavering (1 Kings 18:21) and to resolve, by God’s grace, to obey what I know his Word says.