While going through the past months and the roller coaster my life has been on, I kept getting frustrated with myself for stupid mistakes I made in everyday life. I flirted with a guy I didn't like and screwed up a friendship, I didn't get an assignment in on time, I talked too much to get the attention, I tried too hard to get someone to notice me. Just dumb things that I didn't realize I was doing, but, in hindsight, made me feel like an idiot.
Throughout the whole ordeal, one of my closest friends kept repeating to me, "give yourself grace for that." What she meant was, you wouldn't hold it against me if I did something like that, so why should you hold it against yourself?" She reminded me that this was a brand new stage in my life and that I was just figuring out how to navigate through it.
Well, this was some of the best advice I've ever heard, and I've been repeating it for weeks.
It applies to every avenue of my life, whether it's a relationship, a class, a thought, a word, an action, a decision, literally, anything.
When I screw up again, which always happens, I just remind myself to be gracious to myself.
Jesus Christ died on the cross to extend His Grace to me. This grace delivered me from Hell, from judgment, from condemnation, and from the restraints of the law.
I don't have to experience any of those things because of CHRIST'S FORGIVENESS and GRACE.
When I am living in the freedom that Christ has given me, grace flows into my life like a river. How can I hold something against myself when Jesus has freed me from it?
Even though Christ has freed us from the punishment of every sin, I'm not talking about "big sins" here.
I'm calling out sins that I deal with on a daily basis. I'm talking about sins like pride, selfishness, laziness, and complaining.
When I hold these sins against myself, I'm saying that Christ's forgiveness wasn't enough. I'm going to the cross, laying them down, and picking them back up when I leave. I'm essentially saying "Yeah, what you did there was great for other people, but I can hold onto these myself."
This will never work in a relationship with the Lord.
What I bring to the table with Jesus is nothing but dirtiness, ugliness, and sin. He brings all the good and righteousness that has ever been. It's a pretty one-sided relationship, with Him at the forefront. He extends the grace to me and tells me it's time to forgive myself. Once I bring my sins to the cross, He takes them and I never have to touch them again.
This includes the sins I struggle with everyday. This includes my pride and selfishness, my desire to be the center of attention, or my Netflix-watching procrastination.
Jesus heals the broken. He promises us He remembers the sin no more. (Isaiah 43:25)
I'm holding on to that promise as I fight to daily give myself grace.
Grace:
Undeserved
Unmerited
Unearned
FAVOR
-S
No comments:
Post a Comment