We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

When I read the above section of verses, it is easy for me to technically say (in my mind) that Paul is accurate in describing the “war within” me. It is a deeper, heart-level, emotional issue. I seemingly want to detach emotionally because it is too hard to deal, on that level, with this constant battle. And everyone in this world knows the battle that wages with sin, because we are all sinners. He says: “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing”. Have you ever felt like this? I have. Why is that the case? I have found it is specifically because sin is not just a technical, logical analysis of not doing right or wrong; instead, it is a force that impacts us on a much deeper level. It contaminates our hearts. While it is somewhat difficult to read, reread the above passage with this picture in mind: picture the Apostle Paul on his knees, weeping, beating his chest, writhing in mental anguish over the battle going on in his mind and in his heart. He wants to be a good person, he sets out that way; but sin cuts him off at the pass, time and again.
Does this passage seem to repeat itself over and over again? It is on purpose! The process of sin taking over the good we intend to do and transforming our actions into evil — it happens time and again. For those who want to do good, which I believe is most of us, this battle is exhausting, demoralizing, and almost seems too hard to win. So much so, that MANY give in and LET SIN WIN!

I think of the Angel and the Devil on the shoulders of a man (we see this in many movies), giving different advice on the actions to take. It is the battle we all face.
And yet, we see at the end he is praising God. And this is the case because of his gift of Jesus. So, when I am feeling defeated or down, and the battle in my mind seems to be waging out of control; I have a redeemer, one who will rescue me from my “sin trap” and set me on a path of righteousness — Jesus Christ.

Thank you, Lord, for your great gift! I love the song: “Reason to Praise” by Bethel Music and Cory Asbury. It reminds me of this battle of the mind and heart. The lyrics go like this: “‘Cause you’re the God of the breakthrough, when I’m breaking down, you’ll be working a way through, when there’s no way out; this one thing I know, you’re still on your throne, so whatever I’m feeling, I’ve still got a reason to praise.”