Hello, Altered Stories Family.
Have you ever had a moment of regret where you did something, or didn’t do something and you realize that you have completely messed up, and the feeling you have afterward is like you are stuck to someone’s shoe? You know you are in the wrong and there is no question in your mind that you messed up.
It’s in these moments, that our adversary loves to chime in because he loves to accuse us and remind us of how low we truly can fall. Maybe, you’ve sinned against the Lord or against someone else? Maybe, in your head all you can hear is that worn out tape of how badly you failed?
Trust me when I say I’ve had more than my fair share of these moments. I’ve run head long into these situations and I’d like to offer a suggestion when you find yourself in these moments.
First, understand that there is a difference between honest guilt and condemnation.
If you do mess up, then it’s ok to have that feeling of regret. Acknowledge where you are at and let this draw you to prayer, and repentance. It’s ok to feel sorrow for what you’ve done, but do not let this run circles in your head, so that you are reliving what you’ve done with no end or exit in sight.
If the thoughts and feelings you are having, come from the Lord, they will draw you to prayer. If they are not, you will only be reminded of your failures, and worse I’m sure you will earn a master’s degree in beating yourself up.
Don’t forget that in Isaiah 1:6 the Lord says come let us reason together. Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow.”
The Lord wants us to come to him when we sin. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done, if we seek forgiveness from him, and want to make things right. That’s why Jesus died, because he wanted to repair the gap between us and God. That’s why he came to this world in the first place. To live the life we could not, a completely perfect and sinless life, and to die on our behalf.
If you have never spoken to God about your sin problem and asked him to forgive you, trust me, there is no better day than today.
If you are a believer in Christ, but you have an area that needs forgiving, the Father’s arms are open and all you need to do is come to him in prayer and ask. This is the first step to making things right.
If you have sinned against someone else, then once you clear things up with God, go to them, and ask them to forgive you.
This is what it looks like when our Lord said that the two greatest commandments are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. The second command is to love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Once you have come to God in genuine repentance, then trust that your sin is forgiven. Any further struggles around that area, come from the enemy who loves to replay the tape of all you have done in your head. He isn’t named the accuser for nothing.
I hope that this is something that helps you. Remember, if you have thoughts about something you have done, or not done and they lead you to seek God, then this is likely the Spirit at work drawing you to repentance. If on the other hand, these thoughts only remind you of the thing you have done, and there seems to be no way out, then this is likely the enemy at work. Take these thoughts captive and refuse to listen to him.
God Bless,
Teresa
