Forgiven

You are forgiven.

That thing you did… those words you said… that person you hurt… you’re forgiven.

You. Are. Forgiven.

You made a mistake.  I know.  I did to.  But making a mistake does NOT make YOU a mistake.

The sin in your life is not who you are.

I know that sometimes you feel like it is; like your sin defines you.  But it doesn’t.  It’s not who you are, not really.  You may feel like you will never get it right, this thing you are battling.  You may feel like the sin you are facing is strangling you, pulling you down and keeping you from Christ.  You feel like you just can’t beat it, it’s who you are!  I know.  I’ve felt that way too.   The truth of the matter is, you probably can’t beat this thing on your own.  But there is One who is living inside you and He is so much stronger than the sin you are battling.  He knows you, better than you know yourself.  And He knows that this sin in your life is not who you are.  Together you can beat this.

Right now you feel lost.  You feel like a failure.  You feel dirty and worthless and hopeless, but sweet girl, that is NOT who you are!

You, my friend, are a child of the King!

Your are holy, righteous and redeemed!

You were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27)!

You are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good work (Ephesians 2:10)!

You will one day be conformed to the likeness of Christ (Romans 8:29); transformed into his very likeness (2 Cor. 3:18). And He will not stop until the work He has started in you is complete (Phil. 1:6)!!

In the many years since earning my psychology degree and through my decade plus of raising children I have learned that we tend to become whom we say we are.  When I shower my children with words of affirmation, describing the positive attributes I see them, they begin to demonstrate those attributes more and more.  When I focus on the negative behavior in their life, I get more negative behavior.  We become whom we say we are.

I have spent far too much time listening to and believing the worst about myself.  I have spent years battling the same sin issue because I told myself that is who I was.  But it turns out, I am not that person at all!  It turns out, that when I allow God’s Holy Spirit access to my life, when I consult His Spirit in the choices I make, and filter my words through the Spirit living inside me; I actually make pretty good choices. Who knew?

Do I still make mistakes?  You bet!  All the time!  But I make less mistakes than I used to, and they are generally far less damaging.  I still hit my knees on a regular basis in confession and repentance.  But I no longer define myself by the mistakes in my life.

You shouldn’t either.

You are not a mistake, you just made one.

Let God’s Holy Spirit take over your life, let His Spirit help you with your decision making, your words and your emotions.  He is right there inside of you, waiting to be part of your life.  He is the strength you need to say no to the sin you are facing.  Listen to Him, trust in Him!

You are a work in progress, but you are God’s work, and you will be made perfect one day.

Until then… you are forgiven.