Today, we’re starting a new theme for Good Word Fridays. The next set of scriptures that we’ll be sharing with you is all about weakness. Of course, this is everyone’s favorite because we all just love to think about our weaknesses, right?

Today’s verse reminds us that our flesh is weak. What is our “flesh”? Does this have anything to do with being physically fit? Pleeeeease don’t tell me I have to start exercising.

Exercising is a great habit, but that’s not what today’s verse is referring to. Our flesh is our sin nature. It’s the fact that we’re all human — not superhuman. We’re made in the image of God — but we’re not gods. No matter what we do, because we’re human, we’re going to fall short of the mark. There will be things we cannot do, acts we can never achieve, and sins that will always beset us.

In context, Jesus speaks the words in this verse while He is in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked His three closest disciples to pray with Him, but they kept falling asleep. (Can anyone relate to this scenario?) Our flesh gets in the way of even the simplest things that Jesus asks of us.

But there’s an upside. “The spirit indeed is willing.”

The good news is that we aren’t comprised solely of flesh. God placed His Holy Spirit inside of us so that we can overcome the flesh. How? By trying harder? Sure, we can try harder, there’s nothing wrong with that, but it won’t do any good unless we draw on Christ’s spiritual strength to help us resist temptation. That means recognizing that we can’t do it on our own and asking Jesus for help.

The next time your spirit wants to do what’s right but your flesh doesn’t, remember that tension is normal. But the flesh doesn’t have to win just because we’re human. We have access to superhuman strength through Christ!

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.