a house divided

"For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it..." ~from Romans 7

"We are at odds with ourselves, a house divided. Because we are stamped with the image of God, we long for the good, the true, the beautiful. Because we live in a good world gone bad, we hanker after the distortions of God's good creation. We try by sheer willpower to seek the good, but we fail, always fail, because the will is in conflict with itself and is in need of redemption. Merely to think good thoughts or to desire good things is not enough. We need the transforming power of Jesus Christ alive and present among us. Then our conflicting wills can come under the rule of the Divine Arbitrator." ~Richard Foster