In the next few paragraphs I am going to paste a conversation I had with a friend who trusted me enough to confess to a secret sin that was ravishing his heart. A sin that is tough to shake and get rid of. It doesn't matter the sin, but the point of this blog is I want you to insert yourself into the response and hear what God has to say to you. I believe we can all learn from this and allow ourselves to not be diminished by the enemy. A little background to the confession. My friend messaged me with a heavy heart that was in a place of self condemnation over the fact that this struggle was hard to shake and let go of. Yes even Christians struggle with sin. Me included. My response of what God wanted to say went something like this I've changed his name. We'll call him Sam:
Sam, you're not alone in your struggles. However, I don't want to focus on them. Don't get me wrong I'm not running from the problems and ignoring them. I think the devil would like us to admit nothing is wrong. What I do believe is that if "we decide to focus more on our relationship with God it will in turn sabotage my sins rather than my sin sabotaging my relationship with God."-Joey Willis
What keeps coming to mind is a couple of parts in The Shack (it's by far my favorite book) when Mack is speaking with Papa. I'll just send you the excerpt from the book:
“But why me? I mean, why Mackenzie Allen Phillips? Why do you love someone who is such a screwup? After all the things I’ve felt in my heart toward you and all the accusations I’ve made, why would you even bother to keep trying to get through to me?”
“Because that is what love does,” answered Papa. “Remember, Mackenzie, I don’t wonder what you will do or what choices you will make. I already know. Let’s say, for example, I am trying to teach you how not to hide inside lies—hypothetically, of course,” He said with a wink. “And let’s say that I know it will take you forty-seven situations and events before you will actually hear me—that is, before you will hear clearly enough to agree with “me and change. So when you don’t hear me the first time, I’m not frustrated or disappointed, I’m thrilled. Only forty-six more times to go! And that first time will be a building block to construct a bridge of healing that one day—that today—you will walk across”
What that tells me is that we have to have grace for ourselves. You and I strive to live the life that God has for us. If we are striving for that we have to know that we will one day achieve it.
I also enjoy this part of the book when God says to Mack:
“I don’t need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside. It’s not My purpose to punish it; it’s My joy to cure it.”
That speaks for itself. If you haven't noticed, that book has given me a whole new perspective on my relationship and walk with God.
Yes, the sin separates me, but even in the midst of me feeling horrible I can't let that feeling keep me separated and dictate where I stand with God. Because He says I'm righteous. I refuse to have the mindset that I am bad and God is mad. Sam, the worst place that you could be is to live in a condemned state. I know you don't, but no matter how much good you do versus the amount of bad things you do will not change how much He loves you and will not change the amount of times He is willing to pick you back up and continue fighting EVERY SINGLE time you fall.
Now don't get me wrong. It's not at all a license to continue sinning, but it does give us grace enough to pick up and not stay in that place.
You are righteous, Sam. You are loved and rest in the fact that God has already won this battle. I encourage you to go back to "The Shack" and read chapters 13 and 14. I think they will help 🙂
I can't say that I don't struggle with the mindset of self-condemnation because I do, but I'm striving for that place with God and I KNOW that I will one day get there. I just have to know who God says that I am.
You have to know that God is using you even in the midst of your screw ups because He knows who you truly are. So see yourself the way He sees you, and not defining yourself by your mistakes. I think God wants you to know that.
I hope that this truth from God gives you a revelation of who God says that you are. So in your walk and relationship with God, don't focus on the lies the enemy says about you. Instead focus on who God says that you are.
With Love,
Michael
