very irritating. Do you ever find yourself in that predicament? As I’ve said multiple times… sometimes we are our own worse enemy.
Many times we do the devil’s work on us and he just sits back and watches us downplay who we are and what we are able to do. Why do we do this! I sometimes think it’s because we really haven’t let go of who we were. We allow the devil to keep reminding us of who we were and what we did. Silly, really. We were, not are. We did, not do. And even when we slip, we always have a way to restoration (1John 1:9). Actually, what we should do is to boldly admit we were wrong (sinned) but we have a way back. (1John 1:9-2:3 NKJV)
“If we confess our sins, He (Jesus) is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. … My little
children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And
if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous. And He (Jesus) Himself is the propitiation for our sins,
and not for ours only but also for the whole world. Now by this we
know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.”
This covers absolutely everything. We confess. He cleanses us from ALL unrighteousness. We have an Advocate. He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. We know… if we keep His commandments.
A simple formula – everyone can follow: what we do, what He does, and how to know. We don’t have to wonder if we are forgiven. And we don’t need to accept the lies that we will never be good enough. Where in scripture does it say that we have to be good enough first before we can become part of the Family of God? It doesn’t. But it does show us in word and action what happens to and for us once we turn and accept His free gift of salvation.
I know that some people do believe that once they ‘get their act together’ then they can seek salvation. Personally, I didn’t find this worked. Rather it was when I turned to Him with all my baggage that He took it from me so that I could start anew (1Corinthians 5:17-21). While I didn’t want the baggage, I didn’t know how to get rid of it.
Over time, He has taught me that He took the best bits of who I was and my gifting and in His hands He made me more than I was and is helping me to continue to grow. Another way of saying this is… ‘He isn’t done with me yet…’. As l continue to learn and appreciate, He is helping me become the best me I can be. That’s the only gift I know I can give to Him for all He did, does, and continues to do for me. It is well with my soul… even though, at times, I really do get in my way and then have to stop, look around, and seek. He hasn’t gone anywhere. I just had a moment of letting the cares of the world blind me.
