Still So Far to Go

Monday, June 26, 2017

Still So Far to Go
So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.
—Romans 7:14

When I began to lose my hair in my 30s, I started finding imaginative ways to postpone the inevitable. One day my friend, who is also bald, took off his hat. “Check this out,” he said, showing me his new hairpiece. “The guy who made it is really good.”

A few weeks later, my hairpiece arrived. It was nice as far as hairpieces go. But when I put it on, I felt pretty stupid. I just couldn’t bring myself to start wearing it.

Author Peggy Noonan described a hairpiece as “a lie on your head.” That’s pretty accurate. I don’t think any of us wants a lie on our heads or in any other area of our lives. We want to be honest. We don’t want to be hypocrites.

People are quick to throw around the term hypocrite when they see any inconsistency in a Christian’s life. But let’s understand what a hypocrite is. A hypocrite is someone who tries to appear to be something they are not at all, not someone who believes something and fails to live up to it.

Believing something and then falling short of it doesn’t make us hypocrites; it makes us human. We are imperfect people trying to serve a perfect God, and every believer falls short.

Even the great apostle Paul made this candid admission in Romans 7, “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. . . . So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it” (verses 15, 17).

The further we go in the Christian life, we realize the further we must go. And the more I grow spiritually, the more I discover I must grow spiritually.

Copyright © 2017 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
 
Monday, June 26, 2017

Still So Far to Go
So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.
—Romans 7:14

When I began to lose my hair in my 30s, I started finding imaginative ways to postpone the inevitable. One day my friend, who is also bald, took off his hat. “Check this out,” he said, showing me his new hairpiece. “The guy who made it is really good.”

A few weeks later, my hairpiece arrived. It was nice as far as hairpieces go. But when I put it on, I felt pretty stupid. I just couldn’t bring myself to start wearing it.

Author Peggy Noonan described a hairpiece as “a lie on your head.” That’s pretty accurate. I don’t think any of us wants a lie on our heads or in any other area of our lives. We want to be honest. We don’t want to be hypocrites.

People are quick to throw around the term hypocrite when they see any inconsistency in a Christian’s life. But let’s understand what a hypocrite is. A hypocrite is someone who tries to appear to be something they are not at all, not someone who believes something and fails to live up to it.

Believing something and then falling short of it doesn’t make us hypocrites; it makes us human. We are imperfect people trying to serve a perfect God, and every believer falls short.

Even the great apostle Paul made this candid admission in Romans 7, “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. . . . So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it” (verses 15, 17).

The further we go in the Christian life, we realize the further we must go. And the more I grow spiritually, the more I discover I must grow spiritually.

Copyright © 2017 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.

Hey, coffeedrinker, I surely can echo much of what you are saying. And adding this scripture which sums it up as well:


" Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. " 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NKJV.

I went through chemotherapy 28 years ago and lost enough hair then to have to wear a wig. I remember it wasn't easy but through the rest of the winter it did keep my head warm. At Easter time I was asked to be part of the church service so wig and all I participated by reading the Word in front of the congregation . And now just because of age my hair is thinning rapidly. In time I may wear another...

Sound like you have a good one. They do made nice ones these days. :)

Blessings,
 
Hey, coffeedrinker, I surely can echo much of what you are saying. And adding this scripture which sums it up as well:


" Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. " 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NKJV.

I went through chemotherapy 28 years ago and lost enough hair then to have to wear a wig. I remember it wasn't easy but through the rest of the winter it did keep my head warm. At Easter time I was asked to be part of the church service so wig and all I participated by reading the Word in front of the congregation . And now just because of age my hair is thinning rapidly. In time I may wear another...

Sound like you have a good one. They do made nice ones these days. :)

Blessings,

I am sure chemo was not easy and losing your hair is never easy for anyone. They make wigs now that are custom for chemo patients and some of them are beautiful. Today you could switch things up almost daily.
a new hair style every week. That would be fun.....
 
I am sure chemo was not easy and losing your hair is never easy for anyone. They make wigs now that are custom for chemo patients and some of them are beautiful. Today you could switch things up almost daily.
a new hair style every week. That would be fun.....
Well, that was 28 years ago so I thank God daily for my full recovery; but the wig and losing my hair was the easy part. The rest...not so. Just a memory now and some good as God was with me and after recovery I began a whole new phase of my life as directed by the Spirit...He heals.
 
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