He goes before us

I'm learning more and more how much I desperately need God's grace every single day of my life. I've recently found myself frustrated with my own shortcomings and sins that seem to reoccur. I'm amazed at how easily I can find myself in a sin, even on the days I feel most committed and determined to living a life glorifying to God. Here's where the problem lies for me: I try to fight my own battle and I come face to face with my enemy who wants nothing more than for me to fall into the pit of sin again--and time after time, I lose. No matter how determined I am, I will inevitably fail when I don't allow God to go before me in battle.

In Deuteronomy 9:1-3, Israel is given a command to go into battle as well: "Hear, Israel: you are now about to cross the Jordan today, to go in and dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, with cities that have walls up to the sky. The people are strong and tall--Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: 'Who can stand up against the Anakites?' But be assured today that the Lord your God is the One who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; He will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you."

Imagine if the Israelites were to go into this battle without God; they would be entirely in over their heads. It would be unrealistic to overcome such a mighty nation with their own strength. God promises, however, to go across the Jordan ahead of them, like a devouring fire which will destroy, subdue, and annihilate. 

While reading through this passage, I asked myself how often I go into battle against my own sin without allowing God to go before me. I do this all too often and the result is always failure. The sin plays over and over like a bad song stuck on repeat. It becomes the one mountain I just can't climb--I struggle in an uphill battle just to fall short again. I make a few strides forward and shortly after, end up back at square one, feeling discouraged and weak. The most frustrating part is how determined I am to overcome the struggle and yet how unable I am to succeed.

I heard a speaker say once that our greatest sin can often be our own self direction and determination. I've realized I'm guilty of this; I put my own success above God and others and then when I fail, I beat myself up over it instead of wearing Christ's grace and forgiveness.

Failure is a fear of mine, as I believe it is for many of us. I used to have the mindset that "with God, I can do anything." I've since adapted that to "because of God's grace, He can do anything through me." It's hard sometimes to accept that there are things we just can't do on our own - but what if Christ came to do for us what we couldn't do ourselves? What incredible hope and joy we can experience when we believe this truth. We might feel defeated by sin, but Christ is always victorious. No pain is too deep, no fear is too great, and no sin is too big for Him to handle. When we choose to allow the Almighty One to go before us in our battles, He will perform wonders and will accomplish the unimaginable.