The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
Proverbs 11:6 (ESV)
but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.
Sometimes we forget how blessed we are to be free of a sinful life. We no longer allow our evil and selfish desires to guide us; instead, we crucify them. We know that our old desires only damage and neutralize us; they do not lead to life. Jesus gave us his righteousness and the Father put a new self inside us so now we have desires for God and godliness. Consider how many dangers we have avoided by following the path of righteousness. Consider how many temptations we have resisted that could have harmed us. Even if we sometimes fall, we are free from the power of destructive desires; we can walk in the power of the Spirit and defeat our old desires.
But those who have rejected Christ and chosen to be their own god do not have the same victory over their desires. They are continually trapped by their desires, thrown into destructive thinking and acting and wondering why they cannot find peace. They may even want to defeat their destructive patterns, but they can only find partial victory at best. There is no Holy Spirit inside them giving them power to defeat the flesh. They are in a prison that they cannot escape.
Be encouraged that God has enabled you to walk the upright path, and thank him for all the destruction you avoided.
