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Why do we keep doing the very things we promised ourselves—and God—we wouldn’t do? Why does temptation feel like it has our number on speed dial? Why did saints, and why do all Christians keep falling? If you’ve ever felt stuck in the cycle of sin and repentance, you’re not alone. Together let’s explore the ongoing battle we all face, and remind ourselves that even in our weakness, there’s hope, grace, and victory.

“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, I myself, with my mind, serve the law of God but, with my flesh, the law of sin.” Rom 7:25

Why do we keep doing the very things we say we won’t do? Why does the same sin knock at our door again and again—and why do we keep answering it? Why do we fall, even after praying, confessing, resolving, and promising never to fall again?

These are not rhetorical questions. These are gut-wrenching cries of the human heart—honest, raw, and familiar to anyone who has ever tried to live a holy life. Saints and sinners alike have asked them. So have popes, bishops, priests, ministers, and lay people. And if we’re honest, so have we—all of us.

The Church gives us a name for this inner war: concupiscence. That word may sound like theological jargon, but it’s really just a diagnosis. It means that even after Baptism washes away original sin, the inclination to sin remains. It’s like a scar that itches long after the wound has closed. Or a magnet inside us that keeps pulling toward things we know we should resist.

St. Paul put it bluntly in Romans 7. He admits to doing what he hates and not doing what he knows is right. It’s as if Paul is holding up a mirror to each of us. And when we look into that mirror, we don’t see a spiritual superhero—we see someone who’s exhausted from the cycle of sin, regret, confession, and resolution, only to circle back around again.

Some days, it feels like we’re making progress. We resist temptation, say our prayers, and think, “Maybe I’ve turned a corner.” Then—boom—out of nowhere, that old sin knocks us down again, and we find ourselves whispering: Why, why, why?

There are a few reasons for this ongoing struggle. First, we have an enemy who knows our weaknesses. The devil doesn’t waste time tempting us in areas where we’re strong. He targets our pet sins—the ones we secretly enjoy, the ones we excuse, the ones we promise we’ll deal with “soon.” Second, we often try to fight spiritual battles with fleshly weapons. We think more willpower or better time management, or a new app will fix the problem. But sin is not just a behavior issue—it’s also a heart issue. And only Christ can heal the heart.

But here’s the good news: struggle is not failure. Temptation is not defeat. Falling doesn’t mean we’re not trying—it means we’re human. The Christian life is not about never falling. It’s about always getting up—with the grace of God.

We may trip over life’s hurdles as in the message two weeks ago or feel like the wayward child in last week’s message or we may simply stumble a thousand times, but God’s mercy is infinite. In fact, it is often in the falling that we finally discover just how much we need Him. And perhaps that’s the point. God doesn’t want our perfection—He wants our dependence.

So yes, the “why” questions remain. But Romans 7 doesn’t end in despair. It ends with thanks. “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Why? Because we are not slaves to sin. Because the battle, though real, has already been won in Christ. Because grace is stronger than weakness, and mercy runs deeper than shame.

So, if you’re asking why today, you’re in good company. But don’t stop with the question. Let it lead you to the cross—where Jesus answered every “why” with love.

Heavenly Father, what I do, I do not understand. For I do not do what I want, but I do what I hate. I have been taken captive by the law of sin that dwells in me. Who will deliver me from this mortal body? Thanks be to God for your Son, Jesus Christ, my Savior and my Lord. Amen!

AMDG 

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Brian Pusateri

Brian is a Christian author and speaker. Brian, a lifelong Catholic, felt his life was forever changed when God spoke to his heart while attending an eight day silent Christian retreat in November of 2011. Soon after that retreat Brian founded 4th Day Letters and Broken Door Ministries. With the God inspired message of mercy and unconditional love that was placed on his heart during that retreat, Brian has been impacting others all over the country and around the world with his weekly letters, his talks, and his all day Christian retreats. In June of 2014, Brian’s life was again impacted in a very dramatic way when his eyesight suddenly became permanently impaired. The initial diagnosis was Multiple Scleroses (MS) but in December of 2019 the diagnosis was corrected to MOG antibody disease, a rare neurological disease. This health challenge has only served to draw Brian closer to God and bolster the importance of this timely yet ageless message.

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