Guilt and Grace
I read a post on Facebook the other day that said something to this extent:
“The forgiveness that is given to others is also for me; I need to accept it.”
Over the last few days, I’ve wholeheartedly embraced this idea–not because of some big bad thing I’d recently done, but because of all of my seemingly minor failures that have accumulated into a large mass that I continually carry around with me.
Some examples:
- Harshly judging others with whom I disagree.
- Writing off the legitimate concerns of others in favor of those which benefit me.
- Being intensely jealous of other people’s circumstances.
- Swearing, cursing, and the like.
- Neglecting the needs of my wife and kids.
- Not being the role model I want to be for my family.
- Delivering work of inferior quality because I’m lazy or just “don’t feel like doing it.”
- Neglecting my daily devotions.
- Snapping and speaking harshly to others with the excuse that I’m in a “bad mood.”
- Being less than a good steward with the gifts (money, time, talent) I’ve been given.
The list goes on…
A person might look at this list and think, “Hey, no big deal. Everyone does this stuff.” And it’s true. I know everyone screws up–it’s in our nature. But lately, I have felt like the screw-ups have piled-up.
This morning, I remembered the statement above–that the forgiveness that God offers freely to everyone includes me, too!
Maybe it’s because I’m “in my own head” 24-7 or maybe it’s because I’m the only person who truly knows all my actions and understands my motives that I overlook this important concept. But whatever the cause of it, I overcame it this morning with the help of God.
Remember, God loves everyone and will forgive anyone.
Including you.
And even me.
Peace,
Brett