My kids and I have a running joke about the dadly statement, “I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed.” All of us have either heard that from our dads, at some point, or said that as a dad. Today, Paul is wrestling with the fact the Galatians keep falling back into the old sins and mistakes of the past. He’s just confused. Why? Why do you keep doing this? I don’t understand. Paul wants them to avoid the old mistakes, and he just can’t understand why it keeps happening.

Shameless plug: here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history.

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he’ll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God’s Word.

If you’d like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

Click on the image above or this link to watch today’s video.

You can read today’s passage here.

You can podcast this reflection here. You can subscribe through Spotify or Apple Podcasts as well.

Or, if you’d like to read the transcript of the video, keep reading!

Good morning. It’s great to be with you on this Wednesday morning as we continue our time in Galatians. My schedule has been a little unpredictable the past few days, so I’m recording from home again. But starting tomorrow, we’ll be back to our usual routine. Thankfully, after a few trips and long meetings, things are settling down, and I’ll have more regularity in my schedule over the next few months. That makes me very happy.

Today, we’re reading Galatians 4:8-20.

Paul expresses deep frustration with the Galatians, similar to how a parent might feel toward a child making poor choices. He’s not mad—he’s disappointed. They had been saved by grace, yet now they were turning back to old ways, following rules and traditions as if those things could save them. Paul reminds them that they welcomed him when he first preached to them, even when he was struggling with a physical ailment, possibly an issue with his eyesight. He acknowledges the love they once had for him and wonders why they are now rejecting his message.

Paul also warns them against falling back into old habits. He describes how they were once enslaved to false gods and now, after knowing the true God, they are returning to empty practices. He compares it to a person who has been set free choosing to go back to captivity. He pleads with them not to backslide into legalism and old ways of thinking.

This passage is a reminder of how easy it is to fall into old patterns. Like a car getting stuck in a deep rut on a dirt road, bad habits and past sins can pull us back in if we’re not careful. It takes time to build good habits—prayer, Bible reading, worship—but it’s easy to fall out of them. Paul’s message is clear: don’t go backward. Keep growing in faith, and don’t let yourself slip into the past mistakes you’ve already overcome.

Paul’s love for the Galatians is evident in his words. Even in frustration, he cares deeply for them and wants them to stay faithful. We should have that same love and accountability for one another.

Tomorrow, we’ll continue with the rest of Galatians 4. Thanks for being with us today, and have a great day!