Why we do what we do.

The other night on 60 minutes there was a navy Diver, Paul de Gelder, who was attacked by a shark...what an inspiration he was. This guy lost a leg and a hand and just wouldn't stay down. the sight of him hopping through the hospital made me realise my own troubles were not quite so bad after all. Thanks Paul for your inspiration. But it got me thinking.
In Romans 7: 14 - 25 the apostle Paul talks of the struggle he has with sin in his life and what he was going through. Here's this man who traveled extensively had immense courage and conviction. spoke to people everywhere about the things of the Kingdom of God and yet struggled so much with his own sinfulness. He's not so dissimilar to us in that way. we all struggle with sin in our lives and I know for my part the pain of it can be debilitating. But Paul from the Bible is like Paul de Gelder in that he refused to stay down, he repeatedly got back up again.
Someone once said; "we judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions". so we say things like; "I didn't mean to do it" or it was an accident! funny that one because I often say to my kids, accidents happen because you weren't being careful!
No matter how careful we are we can still get attacked and in a faith sense the prowling lion gets us rather than the white pointer. but what do we do? whether it is an attack or just being careless, as human beings we fail and fall, no matter how hard we try we miss the mark and hurt God and the people we love around us.
I love that Paul writes so honestly about his trials, not putting a twist in it to make us feel bad but simply falling of the mercy and Grace of God. That's all any of us can do, fall on His mercy and grace. then, like Paul De Gelder, get back up and hop along the corridor and move on. And if we feel the need to jump in with the sharks again, take a spear gun and a friend.
http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=812169

Richard