There is no soundness in my flesh. (Psalm 38:3)

Neither in my heart. None in my words. Surely not in my actions. No soundness.

"Soundness" refers to a state of well-being, and thus the statement above must imply that we are not doing too well. The medical condition of our flesh is diseased with sin, but the question is – do we really want to be healed from it? In fact, most people are not even in a position to be healed because they are completely unaware.

Anosognosia. That's the word which describes their situation. It's a medical term that comes from the Greek meaning, "to not know disease." Now I think we can apply it in this situation as well – the reason many people do not live holy lives is because they are completely unaware that they are diseased with sin. Their flesh is terminally diseased, and the prognosis is not good.

But do you know why our flesh is sinful, why it yearns for things we know do not please God? Because it is the one thing that is inherently us. Inherently part of the world. And since our flesh is part of the world, Satan will always have a hold on it. You see, when we accept Christ as our savior, He changes our hearts and our souls, but still, He does not change our flesh. Why? Because to change our flesh wouldn't make us human anymore. And though God despises that which our flesh desires, His intention is for us to have the choice – to choose Him or to choose our flesh. However, following the desires of our flesh are not without consequence. Remember: there is no soundness in our flesh. Let's validate that statement: our inappropriate desire for selfish achievements, sexual promiscuity, gossip, hatred, harming of another person – such desires come from Satan's hold on our flesh. Our flesh is inherently sinful. But the majority of us do not believe it. Or, perhaps we only believe half of that truth, because some of our actions were done "with good intentions."

We just don't see it. That our hearts, without Christ, long for shameful things. We are not good in and of ourselves. But most of us don't understand that. Anosognosia. We do not see our disease. It's why so many people ask, "why does God let bad things happen to good people?"

Why do bad things happen to the charity givers, encouragers, loving parents, and kind people of the world? Well, those people have done good works, but their flesh has not changed. All the good works in the world won't make us inherently good. You see, God forgives our sin but He does not remove it. Our sin has been paid for, but we are still human. We are still inherently sinful. And if we aren't good people, we are asking the wrong question. A more accurate question would be, "why on Earth does God let good things happen to sinful people?"

I ask that question every day. On my wedding day, I told God, "I know I don't deserve this, but thank you." Every test I walk into, I pray, "God, I know I don't deserve to do well, but please help me pass this test." I know I am not good. I mean, I'd like to say that I am, because I've been walking with God for quite some time. But I know my heart. Many people would say I am a kind person because I try to make everyone smile. It's a nice quality. I truly do try to always be kind. I don't like to say hurtful things even when I am thinking them. But there's the catch –

I am thinking them. I judge. And it's a good thing for me to resist the urge to say them, but does that make me good? No, my sinful flesh has not changed.

I know this is heavy, and perhaps a little discouraging. But I can tell you this – the darkness and heaviness of my heart from hating my sin does not compare to the freedom of knowing that I am not longer enslaved to it.

There is a world of people, and a world of Christians, who are enslaved to their sin. Some in denial, others are just unaware. There is freedom for us all, but it begins with seeing our flesh and our desires for what they really are: enticing, but enslaving. It is then that we can see God for who He really is: the only hope for our afflicted flesh.