By Tracy Villatoro
Worship Leader, Victory Church Odessa
When I was a little girl, I remember my mother coming into my room before I went to sleep, and she would sit beside me on my bed, and would say, “Ok, say your prayers.” I’m sure I probably said things like, “Thank you, Lord for my mommy and daddy, thank You for my brother,” etc., you know, those types of things.
But there was one particular thing that I remember saying every single night, and it was this: “Dear Lord, help me to do what You want me to do.” Where I got that from, I have no idea. I don’t remember my mom ever telling me to say that. I just said it for some reason, and I have never forgotten it.
This morning as I was doing my daily devotion, I came across this verse that I do not remember ever reading. It is Philippians 2:13b — “He helps you WANT to do what pleases Him, and He gives you the POWER to do it!!”
I have always thought about the scripture Romans 7:18 where it says, “Yes, I know that nothing good lives in me — I mean nothing good lives in the part of me that is not spiritual. I want to do what is good, but I don’t do it.”
But when I read Philippians 2:13b this morning, it really encouraged me. Not only does the Lord place the desire inside of me to WANT to do what pleases Him, but He also gives me the POWER to DO those things that please Him! Now I see that the Lord has been placing those desires inside of my heart ever since I was a little child, and I didn’t even realize it.
It is definitely a war inside each of us! Spiritually, we want to do what is right, but it is the sin living inside of us that does it, according to Romans 7:20b.
It doesn’t matter how young or old you are, every one of us face challenges and trials every day. I may be more spiritually mature in my latter years now, but that doesn’t mean I don’t face problems like everyone else. I have learned that my strength comes from the Lord, and only the Lord! I turn to Him every day, all day. I pray you do the same today.
