No longer I who live

19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

How often I forget that it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. I have the greatest joy and satisfaction when I remember this, but it seems that I am constantly chasing my own agenda! Even so, I do not read these verses and think, "Wow I really need to buckle down and live like Christ is living in me. It's my duty because He gave Himself for me." I actually am thinking, "Yeah, duh, that's why I'm miserable, because I'm fighting myself. I've got Christ living in me, trying to bring me happiness, and I am actually rebelling against my own happiness!"

I died to the law and I keep trying to live by it, and I fail and then give up and get discouraged, and find some other way to make myself happy. Umm... in case anyone was wondering, it never works! I can only find happiness in Christ and who He is and what He has done, and then live the rest of my life through that.

Lord, show your perfect strength in my weakness! Instead of me sitting at home trying to perfect all of my ideas and organize my unorganized life before I go out and minister, let me go out and make a mess of things for your name's sake and then watch you clean it up. Show me how to love others and show me that I don't have to do it perfectly because you already have. Let me live each day by faith, and throw away my own agenda and start living by Yours, one day at a time.