When the Struggle Is Real

Let’s be honest—following Jesus doesn’t mean the struggle disappears. In fact, sometimes it gets harder. If you’ve ever felt like Paul in Romans 7, doing the very thing you hate, you’re in good company. You’re not broken beyond repair. You’re normal—and you’re not alone.
This week, we unpacked one of the most raw and relatable passages in all of Scripture: Romans 7:14–25. Paul, the great apostle, confesses an inner battle between what he wants to do and what he actually does. He’s not making excuses. He’s naming the war we all feel: the conflict between the old self and the new creation in Christ.

We learned that the “real you” isn’t the one who gave into temptation last week. The real you is the one being transformed—reborn in Christ, sealed by the Spirit. But that old self doesn’t go down without a fight. It rears its head, demanding attention and control. And if you’re trying to fix it yourself, you’ll live exhausted.

That’s why Paul’s turning point matters so much. After wrestling with sin, he asks the million-dollar question: “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” His answer isn’t a plan or a principle—it’s a person: “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
We can’t defeat the flesh with more rules or sheer willpower. We need to die to ourselves daily and lean on the Spirit. The law can point out what’s wrong, but only Christ can make us right. As we prepare to enter Romans 8 next week, let’s hold tight to this truth: the struggle may be real, but Jesus is more real still.