Scripture Focus: Romans 7:15–25, especially verses 7, 24–25
“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
— Romans 7:24–25 (NIV)
I’ve never publicly shared a personal prayer before.
But today, I feel like I have to.
Not because it’s polished or profound—honestly, it’s anything but.
But because maybe you’ve been here, too.
Tired. Frustrated. Spiritually worn down from trying so hard.
This was my prayer:
Dear God,
You are holy. You are almighty, all-powerful, and sovereign.
And yet, you are my Father—my holy Father.
I cling to that.
But sometimes… I forget the “God” stuff.
Maybe I don’t give you the reverence you deserve.
Forgive me for that.
I’m so tired of being self-ish.
Of thinking about me.
Of working toward my goals, trying to fix things,
trying to control things I was never meant to control.
I can’t even make it through a day without disrespecting this body—
This temple you gave me.
This vehicle meant to do your work.
I keep saying I surrender.
But I always seem to hold on to a little piece.
I think I’m afraid.
Afraid of being totally out of control.
Afraid that, without me, things will fall apart.
But that’s the lie.
Because apart from you—I am nothing.
I can do nothing.
Take it, Lord.
TAKE IT.
I’m tired of trying to make the money stretch,
tired of chasing a dream of ministry that actually helps people.
Tired of trying to prove I can do this.
So, here it is:
The ashes. The mess. The broken pieces.
My crayon art and Tinker Toy plans.
Would you turn them into something useful? Something beautiful?
Something that brings you glory?
Because that’s all I’ve ever wanted.
Look in my heart.
See if there’s any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the everlasting way.
My precious Jesus…
Amen.
The Battle Within
Romans 7 is brutally honest.
Paul—a pillar of the early church—admits he doesn’t do what he wants to do.
Instead, he does the very things he hates.
Sound familiar?
“For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.”
—Romans 7:19
The spiritual struggle is real.
We want to surrender—but fear holds us back.
We want to trust—but habit pulls us to strive.
We want to honor our temple—but we fall into patterns that sabotage it.
And like Paul, we finally cry out:
“Who will rescue me from this mess?”
The Answer: Jesus.
Not our effort.
Not our planning.
Not our striving.
Just Jesus.
He is the one who takes our Tinker Toy plans and transforms them into something eternal.
He is the one who delivers us—again and again—when we are stuck in the spiral of our own limitations.
If you’re tired today… if you feel like everything you’re doing is just not working… I hope this post reminds you: you are not alone. And you don’t have to fix it.
Jesus already has.
Let go.
Let Him lead.
Even when it’s messy.
Even when it’s scary.
Especially then.