Read Romans 7:21-25 in your personal Bible or at the link provided.
Review
1. What has Paul discovered about his life?
2. What is the war within Paul?
3. Where is the answer found?
Reflect
In today’s verses, Paul describes a war that we all have faced – the war between what we do and who we are. No matter our age or stage of life, we have likely found ourselves wanting a sense of identity. We might have a desire to follow God, but the pull of temporary happiness can easily pull us in, creating a war in our minds between our identity and activity.
In today’s culture, we see this war play out in the area of gender identity, where someone might base who they are on self-perception or what culture tells them they should be. But no matter our struggle, whether we seek meaning through gender definitions, career status, success, relationships, or activities, we have to remember that our identity is in Jesus alone.
He calls us to surrender the battle – to let Him settle the war between our identity and activity once and for all – because He already has settled it on the cross. Let's acknowledge the areas where we try to make our behavior equal our identity outside of Jesus. Let's turn to Him as the answer.
Respond
• Have you ever experienced the struggle described in today’s verses, where your mind or behavior is at war with who God says you are?
• Where have you tried to find your identity outside of Jesus? Has it delivered what you hoped it would?
• What do you need to let go of in order to find your identity in Jesus alone?
Pray through these questions, and write down what God is prompting you to do next. Share with a friend, and take a step to apply it.
Want to go deeper? Visit the Traders Point app or this link to see our recommended resources for this week’s topic. If you want to catch Sunday’s message again, you can find it here.