NOW WHY IN THE WORLD DID I JUST DO THAT?

Have you ever been in that place where you did something that was just incredibly stupid?  Now, I’m sure that no one reading this has ever done anything incredibly stupid.  But me, on the other hand, I find myself over in that crowd that every once and awhile, I find myself doing something absolutely stupid.  And then I ask myself the question, “Why in the World did I just do that?”

Some years ago, I was walking into the house through our back door through our wash room, and as I was walking in, I stumped my big toe on the threshold of the door from our wash room to our kitchen.  In anger and frustration, I kicked the door as hard as I could – not realizing that my washing machine door was opened, and the force of me kicking the door caused the door handle to impact the glass on the washing machine door, breaking it of course.  And I stood there and immediately asked myself, “NOW WHY IN THE WORLD DID I JUST DO THAT?”

And you know something, when I stop and think about that, I realize that was not the only time in my life that I’ve done something like that – especially as it relates to my Christian life.  Man there have been some times that I have just completely messed things up, I’ve fallen and then I ask myself:

• WHY IN THE WORLD DID I JUST DO THAT?
• Why in the world, would I as a Christian allow myself to do something like that?
• Why is it that we sin?
• Why is it that we can’t just be perfect?

So, as Christians, we find ourselves going through life, and many times we find ourselves slipping up on a daily basis.  And sometimes, we stop and think and we ask God:

• God, why is it that I can’t get the victory?
• God why is it that I keep messing things up?
• God, why do I keep allowing temptations to get the best of me?

I think the Apostle Paul had this same issue in his day.  He says in Romans 7:15-25:

“For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.   (What Paul is saying here is “The things I want to do I don’t do, and the things I don’t want to do I find myself doing”)  ¹⁶ If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. ¹⁷ Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. ¹⁸ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. ¹⁹ For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. ²⁰ Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. ²¹ I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. ²² For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: ²³ But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (And in a moment of frustration I believe, Paul cries out) ²⁴ O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (And in verse 25, Paul’s going to answer his own question). ²⁵ I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”

I believe that if Paul had been writing this Scripture in our day, I believe he would have been saying, “Now Why in the World and I doing this?”

• “Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death.”
• “Why do I continue to do the things I shouldn’t do and I never seem to do the things I know I should be doing?”
• “I’m doing the things that are wrong;”
• “I never seem to do the things that are right.”

Now folks, I want you to understand that we are talking about the Apostle Paul here.  We’re not talking about some average Christian like me – we’re talking about the guy who wrote over half of the New Testament; we’re talking about the guy who was the greatest missionary that ever lived, possibly the greatest Christian that ever lived.

And here’s Paul saying, “I find myself doing the things I ought not be doing, and I don’t do the things I know I should be doing.”

I read these verse folks and I throw my hands in the air and say, “Praise the Lord – I am not the only one who has these problems.  The Apostle Paul has the same problems that I have.”

But you know what, Paul found a solution for his problem.  He says in verse 25, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”  

Remember, it was Paul who said, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”  Folks, a renewing of the spirit comes from a decision of the mind!   

That’s what Paul tells us in Romans 12:1,2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

We have to realize that we cannot do this on our own.  By renewing our minds, we surrender our actions!  Paul tells us in Galatians that if we walk in the Spirit, we will not give in to the temptations of the flesh.