They did not cry with their hearts

“And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.” - Hosea 7v14

Why is that God’s people all through history seem to turn to God, but then go right back to their sin? Why would Paul write in Romans 7 that in our flesh we battle with sins and doing the things we don’t want while we don’t do the things we should? Why is there a lifelong struggle with sin? Is there any hope.

I think there is. Paul wrote that only Christ could deliver him from the body of death. The reason for constantly losing the battle appears to be the same as it was for Israel here. Israel called out to God, but it was not from their hearts, instead it was a selfish howling.

We are not going to see God work in our hearts and see victory until we call out to Him from our hearts. When we call from our hearts it is because we are convinced that we must have His help. Anything else is just working from the flesh.