Freedom in Christ Course; day 34 Nugget
Fresh Starts And New Beginnings
As you learn to walk by the Spirit instead of the flesh, it’s important to remember that nothing you do can change your identity as a holy one, a beloved child of God. It is easy to feel condemned and depressed when we fail, but our God is a loving Father who cannot love or accept you any less no matter what you do, or don’t do! He is like a father watching his son or daughter learn to walk – delighted with our initial stumbling, wobbly attempts, and when we fall down He is there with open arms to pick us up so we can try again. We will be looking in more detail at what our Father God is like in Session 6.
So next time you realize that you have chosen to walk by the flesh instead of by the Spirit, pause for a moment and remember what your Father God is like. Choose to ignore any condemning thoughts like, “You did it again, you’re such a failure,” or, “Look what you did, you’re a terrible Christian,” or, “Wow, God must be so angry with you right now.” Just go straight to God and talk to Him – he is waiting for you with open arms and a smile on His face. Acknowledge whatever you did (or didn’t do), repent, and start again, knowing that you are already forgiven.
Our God is an overflowing, endless source of grace, mercy, fresh starts, clean slates, and new beginnings.