We have all been at a point in life when it has felt like we were at a “point of no return”. Like we have really messed up this time and there is no way that anyone will forgive us for what we have done, much more expecting God to forgive us. I mean this was not just a stupid thing we did, it was “really” dumb, stupid, reckless and somehow it is just too big for God to fix. Bonkkkk!!! You’re wrong. God is in the business of forgiving, restoring and empowerment. He want
you to come to Him. He doesn’t want you walking around in shame and fear of someone finding out your sin. He says in Matthew 11:28 (KJV), Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Another translation says, “all who are weary and carry heavy burdens”.
God wants you in rest! It’s the thief that wants you in worry and disarray all the time. He is the one that comes to bait us into working for him and once the job is done, one of his ways to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10a) is through our thoughts. After you’ve lied he comes in with guilt. After you have entertained carnal thoughts, he comes in with shame. Anytime you try to fight a mental battle alone against the enemy and his falling cohorts, you find yourself in a loosing battle. When Moses tried in his own strength to do his part in assisting God in the battle against Amalek (Exodus 17), his strength would give out on him. The bible said as long as his hands were raised, Israel prevailed but once he became weary and lowered his hand Amalek prevailed. Somebody scream, “HELP!!!” Yep, when Aaron and Hur came along his side to assist him, the children of Israel became CHAMPIONS. Paul tells us in Hebrews 10:24, 25(NLT) that we are here for each other to love and serve in a good work. It states, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” I like the words, ESPECIALLY NOW…
When you are hurting… ESPECIALLY NOW! When you don’t have the strength to cast down those thoughts because of how painful it is… ESPECIALLY NOW! When you said, “I am done with him/her, but need help staying away… ESPECIALLY NOW! When the cancer, HIV, diabetes, AIDS, Herpes… ESPECIALLY NOW! When you’re broke… ESPECIALLY NOW! CALL ON HIS NAME, ESPECIALLY NOW! The reason why your mess seems to have gone from the size of a speed bump to the size of Mt. Everest, is because we have been endeavoring to cover up an open wound with a band-aid. You cover an open wound to protect it from getting infected but not because of how it looks. An open wound needs to air out no matter how ugly it is when the environment is appropriate, but it also needs to be covered in an infectious environment. My daughter recently got a carpet burn from playing around with her brother. When she first got it, it was just a little discolored circle, lightly bleeding. She started covering it up every chance she could because she didn’t want anyone to see it. I would tell her to only cover it when she was in school (infectious environment), but to uncover it at home (appropriate environment for healing). She didn’t listen… so within two weeks, what started out as a discolored circle (lightly bleeding), was now a wound without skin or scab. It also had some bumps around it. This was a lesson in so many ways… Keeping it covered 24/7 allowed it to become worse because now germs had a place to hide or lodge in an area that was moist and conducive for growth. If she had uncovered it at home those platelets could have worked to form a scab. Which in turn, protects the wound by keeping the germs and nastiness out while giving the skin cells underneath an opportunity to heal.
Whom The Son Sets Free... Is Free Indeed (John 8:36)
