Wanting vs. Doing

In recent days I have had the opportunity to visit with a couple of people who are struggling with their own brokenness. I say 'struggling' because they want something more, but their wanting doesn't lead to new life. One person told me that they begin their day with prayer and promises to God that they will follow him, but by afternoon they are living out their brokenness. What is missing?

As I was listening to their struggles, my mind went back to something I read from Dallas Willard. He says that wanting isn’t' enough ~ wanting is important, but it isn't enough. We need to have specific strategies or means by which we are going to actually do what Jesus would do if he were us. In short, we need to become more practical in our attempts to follow Jesus.

Perhaps we have made the idea of transformation too much about divine fairy dust when we try to understand the balance between the Spirit's transforming work in us and our own responsibility to begin to go ahead and actually live our lives in the way of Jesus.

Wanting vs. Doing ~ perhaps the continued brokenness in our lives comes more from an approach of wishful thinking versus an intentional discipleship.