Psalm 119:7-8

I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.

I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me — Psalm 119:7-8

This first stanza, “Aleph,” begins with “Blessed are those whose way is blameless” and ends with “do not utterly forsake me.”

It is as if the Psalmist starts by restating scriptural truths and ends with the reality of his fallen state. The transitional flow of these few verses shows the honest tension believers walk in daily.

We know more than we do. And because of that we fear the consequences of our inaction. But there is grace and “his mercies are new every morning.”

As I get older and see my sin struggle more clearly, I am discovering that I am less concerned about what I can and cannot do and more about the way (the path of “being conformed into the image of the Son”). To say it another way, I want to remain on the “way that leads to life” more each day. While I may not be perfect in my execution (or doing), I really want to stay off the “way that leads to death” (because it leads to being utterly forsaken).

I recently spoke to a young woman who is angry at the circumstances surrounding her young marriage. She made a simple statement: she wanted to be more humble and patient. It was almost like I was hearing her say she needed to replace her anger with humility and patience. And while that sounds like a good idea, (for me) that rarely works.

It is true, the way to being less angry very likely could include humility and patience. As believers we do not replace sin with virtue. Biblically speaking, we call upon our older brother, Jesus, who comes to us. We receive humility and patience because of our relationship with Him. Then one day we realize that He has taken away our anger.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. That is so much more than just behavior management.