Hebrews 10:22-23 ~ let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
There have been so many times that my eyes have been opened to see how my own bad behavior caused me to mistreat someone else. When this happens it not only saddens me, but I often hold on to the guilty conscience. Even after asking God and the other person for forgiveness, I struggle with forgiving myself. This scripture reminds me that if I repent and draw near to God with a sincere heart, He washes away my sins. This means I am free from the guilt and condemnation that Satan tries to use to keep me bond. My faith in God sets me free.
This is true for all of us. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God. We have all mistreated someone and wished we could take back what we said or did. If we have sincerely asked for forgiveness, we must trust God’s word and not hold on to the guilt. We must remember that through our faith in Jesus Christ, we are righteous in the eyes of God. When we continually beat ourselves up for our mistakes, we in effect diminish our hope. When we lose hope, we lose our way. Proverbs 13:12 states “hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.” Don’t allow guilt to steal your hope and make you feel like you are unworthy of God’s blessings. God is still perfecting us day by day but remember that none of us will see perfection on this side. Stand in faith and keep your confidence in God. Trust that He will even use your mistakes for His glory.
Prayer: Lord, we thank you for Your Son Jesus, who died for our freedom. Because of His death and resurrection, we don’t have to live under guilt and condemnation, but by His blood we are set free. Help us to remember this when we try to hold on to guilt. Help us to stand in faith and to continue to put our hope in You. In Jesus’ name Amen.
Purpose in Action: Are you holding any quilt in your heart for something you have done to some one else? Be prayerful about it and ask God for forgiveness and step out in faith and ask the person for forgiveness as well.
For His Purpose,
LiKeisha
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