“Wretched man that I am!  Who will set me free from the body of this death?” Paul says in Romans 7:24, grieving over his inability to perform in life in the way he feels that God intended for him.  For all of us, this does seem an impossible task.  It is exhausting, and repeated failures are discouraging.

Paul finds comfort in the realization that reaching God’s design for him does not depend on him, but on His Designer.  “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (v. 25)

Our comfort and encouragement comes from this Hand-in-glove relationship.  If we stay plugged into our intended Power Source, our machinery will operate according to “factory specifications.”  Our lives are masterpieces of God’s careful artistry, and we will accomplish what He intends when we let go of the controls and let Him operate our machine.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”                         Ephesians 2:10

“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord,  equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”                           Hebrews 13:20-21