Who are you? How do you introduce yourself? What do you think God sees when He looks at you?
We aren’t the sum of what we’ve done.
Our mistakes don’t get to define us.
Christ calls us: loved, forgiven, heirs with Him, brothers and sisters, even, beloved.
These aren’t labels we wear openly or lightly, are they? Do you, too, fear breathing those words aloud, because we don’t always exemplify them? We’re human and we make mistakes. Sometimes big mistakes that we wish we could undo but the truth is we can’t.
We don’t earn forgiveness… that’s why God authored grace.
We can’t be perfect… that’s why God designed forgiveness.
When we focus on ourselves and our mistakes, our sins, and how woefully short we fall, we cut holes in the gift of grace.
And that’s right where our enemy wants us. Focused on what we can’t do, and not the One who does it for us.
Focused on the holes in my heart instead of on the Holy One who wants to fill my heart.
Blinded by my wrong thoughts instead of seeing the One who would author righteousness.
We are commanded, “Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1)
Christ made us clean, white as snow, forgiven and dearly loved.
He happily presents us back to God so we can live with Him, and not be separated from Him today, tomorrow or in eternity.
Here’s the crux of it: Because of what Jesus did for me, I never need to wallow in the “should have, could have” train of thought.
No, instead I need to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
I need to focus on Jesus. And then train my mind to think positively: on things that are true, honorable, righteous, pure, lovely, and admirable.” (Philippians 4:8-9)
Because of Christ, I am not holey. With pieces of me missing and looking like a tattered mess. Because of Christ, I am holy, pure and clean and through Him, seen at my very best.
If you are like me, it’s hard to always claim that identity. The world loves to remind us how unworthy we are. And we listen! I often find my mind parked on all the reasons why I have not earned the right to knock on heaven’s door.
But that is not why Christ came. He didn’t come to condemn, He came to cleanse. And when we ask for forgiveness, He wants to celebrate with us and the angels that we saw our sin and understood where we needed to carry it: to the feet of Jesus.
And then we need to leave it there. So Jesus can carry it as far as the East is from the West. He dealt with it once and for all. We are free.
WE ARE FREE!
Won’t you celebrate that in prayer with me?
Prayer: Dear Lord, I get bogged down in the should’ve, would’ve, could’ves. Thank You for coming to my rescue. Thank You for carrying my sin so You no longer see it. Help me release it as well. Help me think as You direct and remind me to call on You when I fail. In Jesus’ name, amen.