I would argue that the largest obstacle that stands in our way from going forward and keeping up with momentum, in our journey is failure. That failure can be mistakes, sin, shame, guilt, you name it, it holds us back from experiencing all that God wants to share with us and do with us.
No doubt the bible is God's love letter to us and it details his pursuit of a relationship with us. But what is unique about the bible is it is also the hall of fame of failure. Throughout the pages, it has names and stories of people who failed, sinned, screwed up, and then had to learn to live with that reality. The greatest of all failures was Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:25-3:13). Take some time and read through their story. And ask yourself these questions:
1. What was Adam and Eve's response to their failure?
2. What is my response to my failure?
3. What was God's response to Adam and Eve's failure?
If you take some time to read through this story and ask those questions, I believe you will be amazed to see how God works.
In most of our failure, we turn and run and hide. We are filled with guilt and shame and so we hide, just like Adam and Eve. But yet, how did God respond? He looked, he came towards, he sought out, Adam and Eve. And he does the same with you and I. We believe that our failure, sin, shame and guilt disqualify us from God's love. But the reality is, God loves us and in the midst of our failure, sin, shame and guilt, he wants to come near us and love on us.
In his book, He Loves Me, Wayne Jacobsen says, "God sees something redemptive even in letting us fail. He seems less concerned about our mistakes than how we respond to them. Do our mistakes lead us away from trusting in our own strength or wisdom and toward seeking what it means to put our trust in him?"
Maybe, from today forward, instead of seeing failure, sin, shame and guilt as an obstacle to your journey. Maybe God wants to use it as a catapult to launch you ahead in your journey, and experiencing the depth of his love for you.
2 comments:
In a recent study group, a lady made an incredibly simple yet profound comment. We were talking about how we strive to live up to God's goodness and we often don't recognize the fact that it is not really possible. What is possible, however, is to accept Jesus, knowing that because of his sacrifice, we are forgiven. More specifically, her comment was that what we really accept is the lifelong "struggle" of trying to serve and please God. If we do this, and have an honest conscious, we will make mistakes and fail, but the most important thing is to keep trying and do our best. That is what God asks and it is all we can do to serve Him. I am amazed at the small things and big things he has done in my life simply by accepting this struggle.
Imagine being free enough to bare all, share all before God in talks and moments spent with Him? Wow!Imagine Him being the first "phone call" instead of the last talk of the day at bedtime? Imagine being able to truly be yourself 100%, good habits and bad, and no fear of judgement. Only a response of total love, not less love or more love according to our actions or ways, just pure love.
Post a Comment