Old Lesson Never Learned

 September 25, 2024

Wednesday

Some lessons need to be learned over and over. Such is my case. I can’t seem to keep from trying to help God out. Somehow, I am afraid that God will look bad if I do a poor job. So, I try to act better without God than I would have with Him. I know this doesn’t work but when I have a real time moment, I forget what I know and act on my own. The result is always less than God would have done through me.

I guess that’s why Spurgeon said that when we try to do things on our own instead of with God, all we will get is the opportunity to try. So, I try and fail one more time. I know what I have done. I know better and I say that maybe this time I will eventually learn. I do for a while but then return to trying again. The worse thing is that I really think it is going well until I stop and reflect. I know, then, that I am trying to produce my fruit rather than allowing God to produce it through me. No matter what the results are, I have failed for the fruit I produced was rotten. It does not produce the glory of God.

That’s exactly what sin is. It is missing God’s glory. So, it is easy to see that trying to do things on my own was sinful. The opportunity that was right before me is lost. It will never come again. Though God may give me another opportunity to walk in His strength, there is nothing that says He must. 

So, here I am again asking for God to forgive me. I sinned. I did things on my own. I got nothing to show for it. God did not receive the glory He could have. I am left with regrets even though He forgives me. How many times will it take before I will learn. If anything is accomplished, it won’t be because I took over from God and did what I could without Him.

John 15:5 (NASB 2020) I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me and I in him (the same) bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.