"Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."
Jeremiah 31:3 (NKJV)
Do you ever have those days when the harsh reality of not being "perfect" hits you? I do, almost every day. Today I looked in the mirror and saw flaws; but not just physical flaws. I saw spiritual flaws and character flaws. Last week I lost my temper at my toddler because he threw his dinner on the floor, the other day I had overwhelming anger over my defiant, crazy 9 month old puppy, because she wouldn't listen and this morning, I had a feeling of guilt. Guilt over mistakes, sins and failures in my life. I'm not perfect. I've made lots of mistakes; some bigger and some smaller. Maybe you can relate. Sometimes as Christians I feel like we ask, "How are you?" and the response is always "Good, how are you?". We plaster on a mask and a constant smile but inside we're not smiling. We give the impression that life is perfect, we are perfect and that's that. But how many of us are actually honest enough to admit that we have some really big burdens, guilts and hurts going on inside? That just maybe, we actually lost our temper yesterday or said something we shouldn't have, or did something that might shock someone else. And now we're feeling so guilty, so imperfect.
One thing I've struggled with all my life is really, truly believing that God loves me. I mean, we hear it all the time, sing it all the time and tell other people all the time. But I can't always get it through to my heart that God really loves me. I feel like I constantly fail whether it's in my attitude, actions or decisions. I try so hard to do "all the right things" but then I come up miserably short. I'm not a perfect mother, I'm not a perfect wife, I'm not a perfect child of God. I try to be but it's only by God's grace that I ever "get it right".
This is where the enemy loves to come in and ruin my day, my week and my life. One word I've become all too familiar with is condemnation. It's an ugly word isn't it? I'm not talking about good ol' fashioned guilt when you do something you know is wrong. I'm talking about that feeling that tells you that you're hopeless, worthless and that God doesn't love you. Have you ever felt that? The enemy loves to take every failure that I have during the day or in my life and turn it into a massive condemnation road trip; even after I've asked for forgiveness from the Lord.
"Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns?"
Romans 8:33, 34a (NKJV)
Hallelujah for scripture!!! I love how God's Word comes in and smashes satan's lies! Don't you? You can be in the depths of despair and then read a scripture like that and BAM the fight is over!
Or how about this one...
"I even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins."
Isaiah 43:25 (NKJV)
Whoa! Back the condemnation truck up friends! God just said, "I will not remember your sins". I don't know about you but I remember my sins. I remember the bad attitude I gave my mom when I was 14 and just about every other sin I've ever committed. But God is saying He does NOT remember! If I've repented of those sins and turned from them, then I can be confident that God isn't the one reminding me of my failures; it's the enemy.
I love the song, "Jesus Loves Me". I've sang it to my son just about every night from the time he was growing in my tummy until now. I love the words...
Jesus loves me, this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak but He is strong
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
The Bible tells me so
Isn't that amazing....it's so simple, yet so true! How do we know Jesus loves us? Because the Word of God shows us over and over.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
John 3:16 (NKJV)
"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:37-39 (NKJV)
So when is the last time that somebody told you God loves you....
GOD LOVES YOU! GOD LOVES YOU! GOD LOVES YOU!!! :)
No matter what your past failures or sins; if you have turned from those sins and have asked Jesus for forgiveness, you can be confident that you are forgiven and you are loved. Loved by an amazing Father, Savior and Friend!
Mary, ptl this is sooo encouraging. I now have a bf and feel like sometimes I am too demanding or jealous. There's times were I just feel like he should know already what to do or say, but then come to realize that he is new at this...being in a relationship. It also made me realize that I most likely don't always do what he wants or needs or deserves as a man and leader of God in our relationship. Also, there's times where I react in such a way that is immature or overreact to something where it is small or should not have given me that reaction but just have allowed myself to give him my thoughts and opinions. Thanks alot.:))
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