If I’m a Christian, Why Do I Still Struggle With Sin?

I sat on the edge of my seat listening to the youth conference speaker describe the new Christian life. The night before, while the band played an emotional song about trusting Jesus, the speaker had invited students to come forward to “give their lives to Jesus.” This morning, in a room full of sweaty teens who had barely slept the night before, the speaker attempted to lay a foundation for those who had given their lives so they would know their next steps.

I had my Bible propped open on my lap to absorb every word. My life felt listless and riddled with struggles with sin, and I wanted to live a life that was on fire for Christ and victorious.

“When you become a Christian, everything changes,” he said, “the things you used to struggle with, you won’t struggle with anymore. The sins that overcame you, they won’t have victory anymore. You’ll be a completely different person—people may not even recognize you anymore!”

Those words felt like a blow to my stomach. I sat back. A heavy weight rested on my chest.

The things you used to struggle with, you won’t struggle with anymore.

I looked down at my hands. I did still struggle with the same sins that I did before. Did that mean I wasn’t saved?

Years later, I would still wrestle with that same question as the same sin struggles continued to come up in my life. I doubted my salvation for years on a regular basis. If I still struggled with sin, many of the same sins, so how can I be a Christian? Perhaps you’ve felt that too. Maybe you look around at your fellow siblings in Christ and see yourself as a failure in comparison. If that’s the case, let’s turn to Scripture and find assurance.

Continue reading at Well-Watered Women.

You May Also Enjoy…