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Why Do You Think You Can Do Better?	왜 더 잘할 수 있다고 생각하시나요?
Esther Liu May 22, 2025	에스더 리우 2025년 5월 22일

Why do you think you can do better?	왜 더 잘할 수 있다고 생각하시나요?
It was an honest question	제 멘토가 제게 던진 솔직한 질문이었습니다.
posed to me by my mentor.
I suppose it had the potential	당혹스럽거나 불쾌하게 들릴 수도 있었지만,
to be off-putting or offensive,
but it wasn't.	그렇지 않았습니다.
I instantly knew what he meant.	저는 멘토의 말을 바로 알아챘습니다.
And as much as the question knocked me off-balance,	질문에 정신이 팔리긴 했지만,
I knew he was onto something important.	멘토가 중요한 것을 알고 있다는 것을 알았습니다.

There is a common response	죄와 실패에 직면했을 때 흔히 하는 대답은 다음과 같습니다.
when it comes to facing sin and failure:
Do better.	더 잘해야 합니다.
If we are discontent	우리의 성과에 불만이 있다면?
with our performance?
Do better.	더 잘해야 합니다.
Unhappy with our lack of spiritual progress?	영적인 발전이 부족한 것에 불만이 있다면?
Do better.	더 잘해야 합니다.
Stuck in addiction or bad habits?	중독이나 나쁜 습관에 빠져 있나요?
Always late?	항상 늦나요?
Disappointing your spouse?	배우자가 실망스럽나요?
Lackluster performance at work?	직장에서의 성과가 부진하나요?
I need to do better.	더 잘해야 합니다.
If there are failures and shortcomings,	실패와 단점이 있다면
then the most plausible formulaic response is to do better. [정형화된]	가장 그럴듯한 공식적인 대응은 더 잘하는 것입니다. [정형화된]

Still, the question caught me off guard.	그래도 그 질문은 저를 당황하게 했습니다.
My mentor didn't nod his head	제 멘토는 고개를 끄덕이지 않았고
and agree with my most recent iteration of "I need to do better."	제가 최근에 했던 "더 잘해야 합니다."라는 말에 동의하지 않았습니다.
Instead, he confronted it in love.	대신, 그는 사랑으로 맞서 싸웠습니다.
He captured the reality of the Christian life—	그는 그리스도인의 삶의 현실을 잘 표현했습니다.
change is not easy.	변화는 쉽지 않습니다.
At times, it is seemingly impossible.	때로는 불가능해 보입니다.
If it does happen,	변화가 일어난다 해도
it is often slow.	종종 느립니다.
Very slow.	매우 느립니다.
We may want to change,	우리는 변화하고 싶을 수도 있고,
we may resolve to do better,	더 잘하기로 결심할 수도 있지만,
but I suspect many of us have experienced	저는 우리 중 많은 사람들이
that it's often not that simple.	그것이 종종 그렇게 간단하지 않다는 것을 경험했을 것이라고 생각합니다.
Perhaps the way of wisdom is not to keep fighting reality,	아마도 지혜로운 길은 현실과 계속 싸우고,
living in the delusion	내 과거 실적이 그렇지 않다고 말하는데도
that I can do better	더 잘할 수 있다는 망상 속에 사는 것이 아닐 것입니다.
when my track record tells me otherwise.

That doesn't mean I do not have the Spirit	그렇다고 해서 제 안에 성령이 역사하지 않는다는 뜻은 아닙니다.
at work in me,
growing me,	저를 성장시키고 능력을 주시는 성령이 계시지 않습니다.
empowering me
—I do.
It means that perhaps he does not work	아마도 성령께서 제가 종종 스스로에게 정하는 방식이나 타이밍으로 일하지 않으실지도 모릅니다. [규정하다]
in the way or timing
that I often prescribe for myself, [규정하다]
so these resolutions to "do better"	따라서 "더 잘 하겠다"는 결심이 제가 원하는 방식으로 이루어지지 않고 있는 것입니다.
are not transpiring in the way I wanted.

But if we are unable to do better,	하지만 더 잘할 수 없다면,
what then?	그럼 어떻게 해야 할까요?

My mentor's next words were	제 멘토의 다음 말씀은 "우리는 그것에 대해 기도하기로 결심할 것입니다."였습니다.
We will commit to praying about it.

When we make a commitment	우리가 변화를 위해 기도하기로 결심할 때,
to pray for change,	우리는 변화가 어렵고 느리다는 것을 인정합니다.
we acknowledge that change is hard and slow,
that our current tendencies are harder to shake off	우리의 현재 경향은 우리가 인정하고 싶어 하는 것보다 더 쉽게 떨쳐낼 수 있으며,
than we'd like to admit,	우리는 느리게 배우고 성장하는 경향이 있다는 것을 인정합니다.
that we tend to be slow learners and growers.
We acknowledge that we need help and wisdom	우리는 우리의 삶, 관계, 그리고 일이 번창하는 데 필요한 방식으로
from outside of ourselves to make progress	진전하기 위해
in the ways needed	외부의 도움과 지혜가 필요하다는 것을 인정합니다.
to make our lives, relationships, and work flourish.
We acknowledge that it will not be	우리는 그것이
by sheer willpower and determination	순전한 의지와 결단력으로가 아니라
but by the very Spirit of the living God	살아 계신 하나님의 영으로
who will pave a fruitful path forward [포장하다]	우리와 우리가 사랑하는 사람들을 위해
for us and for those we love.	풍성한 길을 열어주실 것임을 인정합니다. [포장하다]

When we make a commitment to pray for change,	변화를 위해 기도하기로 결심할 때,
we place ourselves	우리는
in the rightful posture of desperate dependence	필사적으로 의존하는 올바른 자세를 취하게 됩니다.
on the One who can make things right, good, and beautiful—	모든 것을 옳고, 좋고, 아름답게 만들어 주실 수 있는 분께
beyond what we could even ask for or imagine	우리가 구하거나 상상할 수 있는 것 이상으로
with our limited resources and narrow perspectives.	우리의 제한된 자원과 좁은 관점으로
We are brought back to the realities of the gospel—	우리는 복음의 현실로 돌아갑니다.
that we cannot save ourselves,	우리는 스스로를 구원할 수 없으며,
that we need a Savior,	구주가 필요하며,
and that our Savior has come.	우리의 구주가 오셨다는 사실입니다.
He came to live, die, and live again	그분은 살고, 죽고, 다시 살아나셔서
so that these places of "do better" can be infused with hope	이러한 "더 잘 하라"는 자리에 희망이 가득할 수 있도록 오셨습니다.
despite our inability and repeatedly failed resolutions.	더 잘 하라는 우리의 무능함과 거듭된 결의의 실패에도 불구하고,
We are brought back to the reality	우리는 존 뉴턴이 아름답게 포착한 현실로 돌아갑니다.
so beautifully captured by John Newton—
it is grace that has brought us this far and grace	우리를 여기까지 인도해 주신 것은 은혜이고,
that will lead us home.	우리를 본향으로 인도해 주실 것도 은혜입니다.

Are there areas of your life today	오늘 당신의 삶에서 "더 잘하려고" 노력하는 부분이 있습니까?
where you are trying to "do better"?
May I ask gently,	부드럽게 질문드려도 될까요?
why do you think	왜 당신은
you can do better?	더 잘할 수 있다고 생각하십니까?
And when resolve fails and change is hard to come by,	그리고 결심이 무너지고 변화를 찾기 어려울 때,
will you commit to praying, maybe even with others?	다른 사람들과 함께라도 기도에 전념하시겠습니까?

We have a God who cares, hears,	우리에게는 돌보시고, 들으시고,
and has promised to complete the good work	우리 안에서 시작하신 선한 일을 완성하시겠다고 약속하신 하나님이 계십니다(빌립보서 1:6).
that he has begun in us (Phil 1:6).
We have a God	우리에게는
who isn't standing at a distance	멀리 서서 우리가 더 잘하기를 기다리시는 하나님이 아니라,
waiting for us to do better,	하나님이 계십니다.
but welcomes us to bring ourselves,	그분께 가져오도록 환영하시는
as we are—not-any-better—to him.	우리 자신을 있는 그대로, 더 나은 모습으로
As we commit to prayer,	기도에 전념할 때,
we are unsure of how he will answer.	우리는 하나님께서 어떻게 응답하실지 확신하지 못합니다.
We are not assuming an automatic success story.	우리는 자동적으로 성공할 것이라고 생각하는 것이 아닙니다.
What we are sure of is	우리가 확신하는 것은
that our prayers will be heard and received	우리의 기도가 들으시고 받아들여질 것이라는 것입니다.
by our wise and generous Father	지혜롭고 관대한 아버지께
and that there is true hope	그리고 우리 삶의 이 막힌 곳에서도
in these stuck places of our lives—	진정한 소망이 있다는 것입니다.
not in us, but in him.	우리 안에가 아니라, 그분 안에 있습니다.

"Why do you think you can do better?" It was an honest question posed to me by my mentor. I suppose it had the potential to be off-putting or offensive, but it wasn't. I instantly knew what he meant. And as much as the question knocked me off-balance, I knew he was onto something important.

There is a common response when it comes to facing sin and failure: "Do better." If we are discontent with our performance? Do better. Unhappy with our lack of spiritual progress? Do better. Stuck in addiction or bad habits? Always late? Disappointing your spouse? Lackluster performance at work? "I need to do better." If there are failures and shortcomings, then the most plausible formulaic response is to do better.

Still, the question caught me off guard. My mentor didn't nod his head and agree with my most recent iteration of "I need to do better." Instead, he confronted it in love. He captured the reality of the Christian life—change is not easy. At times, it is seemingly impossible. If it does happen, it is often slow. Very slow. We may want to change, we may resolve to do better, but I suspect many of us have experienced that it's often not that simple. Perhaps the way of wisdom is not to keep fighting reality, living in the delusion that I can do better when my track record tells me otherwise.

That doesn't mean I do not have the Spirit at work in me, growing me, empowering me—I do. It means that perhaps he does not work in the way or timing that I often prescribe for myself, so these resolutions to "do better" are not transpiring in the way I wanted.

But if we are unable to do better, what then?

My mentor's next words were "We will commit to praying about it."

When we make a commitment to pray for change, we acknowledge that change is hard and slow, that our current tendencies are harder to shake off than we'd like to admit, that we tend to be slow learners and growers. We acknowledge that we need help and wisdom from outside of ourselves to make progress in the ways needed to make our lives, relationships, and work flourish. We acknowledge that it will not be by sheer willpower and determination but by the very Spirit of the living God who will pave a fruitful path forward for us and for those we love.

When we make a commitment to pray for change, we place ourselves in the rightful posture of desperate dependence on the One who can make things right, good, and beautiful—beyond what we could even ask for or imagine with our limited resources and narrow perspectives. We are brought back to the realities of the gospel—that we cannot save ourselves, that we need a Savior, and that our Savior has come. He came to live, die, and live again so that these places of "do better" can be infused with hope despite our inability and repeatedly failed resolutions. We are brought back to the reality so beautifully captured by John Newton—it is grace that has brought us this far and grace that will lead us home.

Are there areas of your life today where you are trying to "do better"? May I ask gently, why do you think you can do better? And when resolve fails and change is hard to come by, will you commit to praying, maybe even with others?

We have a God who cares, hears, and has promised to complete the good work that he has begun in us (Phil 1:6). We have a God who isn't standing at a distance waiting for us to do better, but welcomes us to bring ourselves, as we are—not-any-better—to him. As we commit to prayer, we are unsure of how he will answer. We are not assuming an automatic success story. What we are sure of is that our prayers will be heard and received by our wise and generous Father and that there is true hope in these stuck places of our lives—not in us, but in him.

*학습방법*

1.읽기: [읽고쓰기] 내용을 의미어구에 따라 끊어서 쓰고 어구번호 붙이기
2.듣기: [듣고말하기] 내용을 듣고 의미어구 단위로 끊어서 따라 말하기

3.쓰기:[바꿔쓰기] 내용을 보면서 옆에 /표시하고 의미를 바꿔서 쓰기
4.말하기: [바꿔말하기] 내용을 듣고 의미어구 단위로 바꿔서 말하기

{어구번호: 주어구1, 술보어구2, 목적어구3, 부사구4, 분사구5, 관계사구6}

[4고급] Why Do You Think You Can Do Better?

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