The spirit is willing, but the body is weak

Matthew 26:41 (NIV)

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." 

“The spirit is willing but the flesh (body) is weak”.  How true this statement of our Lord is.  You see evidence of this all the time.  People resolve to change, to be somebody, to make vows never to do something again or to start doing something every day, to accomplish some major task.  Indeed, some are successful in achieving what they resolved to do.  But, most fail. 

Look at the disciples with Jesus at the Mount of Olives.  In Matt 26:33 Peter boldly declared that even if all others fall away from Jesus, he, most self-assured Peter, would never do this.  Oh yeah?  As Jesus predicted, Peter eventually denied any relationship with Him, not once but three times.  In Matt 26:38 Jesus admitted to His closest colleagues that He was so grieved and asked them for their help and support.  So what did they do?  They fell asleep.  Does sleeping show your help and support?  Of course, Jesus was dismayed at their failure, declaring, “Could you not even stay awake and help to protect Me for one hour?”  Then He made this statement about the willingness of our spirits but the weakness of our bodies. 

If you are thinking, “how could those disciples do that to Jesus?”, think again.  Think about your own prayer life.  Think about your own thought life.  Think about your own ability to be disciplined in what you eat, watch, and do.  We all are guilty of this statement of Jesus.  We don’t watch and pray all the time as we should and we fall into temptation.  We fail to do what our spirit tells us to do. 

This verse focuses on the sin of omission in your life.  Reminds me of a sermon illustration I heard many years ago about a child who said, “Sins of commission are the sins we commit.  Sins of omission are sins we meant to commit but forgot.”  What do you forget to do; more frankly, what do you neglect to do that you know you should do?  Again, think about your prayer life.  Are you praying like you know you should?  What about your quiet time, your time in the Word, your time and effort in service to the Lord?  Who should you be helping, but are doing nothing?  Sure, there’s a willingness in your mind and heart to do what you know you should, but do you act on that willingness?

In Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book, "The Cost of Discipleship," he writes on page 170:

"It is always true of the disciple that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, and he must therefore "watch and pray." The spirit knows the right way, and desires to follow it, but the flesh lacks courage and finds it too hard, too hazardous and wearisome, and it stifles the voice of the spirit."

Think about these words, but then do more than think, starting doing………