What good am I doing if I only write beautiful, wonderful things about myself? Would that encourage young women who have made mistakes and continue to do so daily? No. I prefer the honesty, but sometimes it is scary.
I have the guts to push the Publish Post button after writing too honestly about my weaknesses when I remember that walking with Jesus means that we find our security and identity in Him alone. That means that I can share my bad stuff knowing that my bad stuff doesn't define me. Every day I wake up longing to make the right choices and honor Christ with every moment of my life; and every day I succeed in some ways, and fail in others.
The crazy thing about faith is that this side of heaven it will not ensure us a perfect life. We will continue to sin, and we will continue to face situations that make living difficult. I think the greatest example of this is a passage from scripture that pretty much does me in every time I read it. It is impossible for me to meditate on these words without getting teary-eyed and emotional. . . It is a passage describing the commitment of believers in the early years of the church. Their life was not easy, but their faith was astounding.
Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death
by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them.They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all
commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Hebrews 11:36-40
Do you get the picture here? These people were out of their minds committed to Christ. They followed him to the point of being rejected, beaten, and killed (in excruciating ways). Their faith was unwavering, and their confidence in God was certain. In society today these people would be labeled freaks. In God's opinion, the world did not deserve them.
But they still suffered. And I can promise you that they weren't perfect; they were sinners like you and me. They didn't receive the rewards for their faith this side of heaven. Together with all the saints, they will be lifted up and honored for their striving.
With these examples before us we can find hope and confidence too. Confidence to continue to live for Jesus today, knowing that along with the trials of life will come blessings in plenty - some today, and unending blessings in eternity!!
So, I guess I just want to encourage you to know that it is ok to make mistakes. Being a Christian doesn't mean that we are better than everyone else. . . it simply means we recognize how fallen we are and that we now have found salvation, hope, and joy in Jesus as our Savior. It means recognizing and admitting our sins - turning and repenting - trusting that the Holy Spirit will be at work in us, helping us to do it right the next time. . .
If you look at the very next section in Hebrews, I think you'll find all the encouragement and perspective you need to keep waking up and trying after you've failed a thousand times. . .
Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start
running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed— that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot
adrenaline into your souls! Hebrews 12:1-3
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