Why Do I Do What I Shouldn’t?

Why is it that the very thing we know we shouldn’t do is often the thing we most want to do?

Why do we chase what we know will hurt us? Whether it’s anger, lust, lies, greed, comparison, gossip, or pride, there’s something in us that pulls toward what God says to avoid.

That “something” is called sin, and it has power.

It whispers lies. It promises life but delivers death. And unless something stronger breaks that grip, we stay shackled to it, doing what we hate while calling it freedom.

Romans 7:4–6 (NCV) explains what sets us free:

“In the same way, my brothers and sisters, your old selves died, and you became free from the law through the body of Christ. This happened so that you might belong to someone else—the One who was raised from the dead, and so that we might be used in service to God.”

The law, God’s written ways, shows us what’s right, but it can’t fix our hearts. In fact, verse 5 says:

“The law made us want to do sinful things that controlled our bodies… the things we did were bringing us death.”

It’s like being told, “Don’t touch the hot stove”, and suddenly, that’s the one thing you want to do. That’s the power of sin. But here’s the game-changer:

“Our old selves died, and we were made free from the law. So now we serve God in a new way with the Spirit, and not in the old way with written rules” (v.6).

The only way to break the chains of sin is through Jesus Christ. I know it sounds preachy.

Yet, when we surrender our lives to Him, our old self, the one that craved sin, dies, and we are made new.

We don’t just become better rule followers, we become spiritually alive. We no longer belong to sin; we belong to Jesus. And that changes everything.

Because here’s the truth: something is going to be your lord.

Whether it’s money, approval, pleasure, control, fear, or even religion itself, something will rule your heart. But only Jesus can rule it and set it free at the same time.

So what’s the fix? Just pray. Be honest. Admit, you’ve allowed yourself to endulge in sin and ask God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit to help you and set you free from the sin - and “keep” praying - and pray some more.

Also, ask yourself: who’s really in charge of me? What am I serving? What’s pulling the strings of my desires?

Because Jesus didn’t just come to forgive your sin, He came to free you from it. Let Him lead. Let Him save. And let Him be the only One who truly sets you free.

“If the Son makes you free, you will be truly free.” (John 8:36 NCV)

“Christ died for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8 NCV)

GOD, free us. And help us pray and surrender. Help us be honest with ourselves, with you, even with others who can help us. IJNIP amen ♥️