Victory over the impossible list?

            This morning I was reading in Ephesians and came across a list of sinful actions God wants to purge from our lives and what needs to replace them.

                        Stop lying

                        Instead speak the truth

                        When angry – don’t sin

                        Don’t hang on to your anger

                        Don’t give the devil any room

                        Stop stealing

                                    Instead work

                        Stop talking trash

                                    Instead speak encouragement

                        Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit by your actions

                        Get rid of: bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, malice

                                    Instead – be kind – compassionate – forgiving

                        Imitate God

            This seems so impossible! I think I am doing better with some on this list and then the Holy Spirit reminds me of ones I am not doing or a response that was not Christ-like. And I realize how very frail and human I am and that is discouraging.

            Really discouraging… to the point where I wonder if there can be victory for a Christian. I mean long lasting victory, not just the 2 minute kind. (Although, those are important victories!)

            I looked up “victory” in my concordance and was first struck by the definition: a state of triumph (to defeat or win). Hmmm - some questions on that but I proceeded to look up the verses and two really stood out to me. The first was I Corinthians 15:57

“Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

            Ok, I thought… this is an encouraging verse. But I know enough that I cannot just take a verse out of context so I read the proceeding verses and slowed down a little on my enthusiasm. The context is about the rapture of the church – the final victory over death. 

            The next verse really turned up the hope! Stand firm, always give yourself to the work of the Lord, your labor isn’t in vain.

            The end of the passage in Ephesians says I’m to be an imitator of Jesus and I know that is work! So maybe this isn’t so far off what I was thinking… because I want to stand firm and keep trying because I love God.

            Which brings up the next verse; I John 5:3:

“This is love for God – to obey His commands.

 And His commands are not burdensome.”

            So love is shown by my obedience and following the not burdensome commands? So I’m right back to the beginning of my thoughts on Ephesians… that this list seems impossible to do – especially the last one, to imitate God.

            And as a sense of hopelessness starts to come over me an image pops into my mind of when my children were little. They loved to put on my high heels and walk in them while carrying my purse. They would go a few steps and wobble – maybe even fall. But up they would go and try again. They were trying to be like Mom and it wasn’t a burdensome thing. Their love for me and wanting to see me smile kept them trying.

            And then it hits me: that is exactly why Jesus said we must come to the Kingdom of God as a little child. The trying is out of love and the focus is on pleasing the Father.

            And just like when my kids were little and had the help of their mom, I have the help of my Heavenly Father to tackle those impossible lists and gain a victory!

Thanks be to God!