The God Who Loves Us Via Our Regrets
ELIZABETH LAING THOMPSON
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“For this son of mine was lifeless and is alive once more; he was misplaced and is discovered.” Luke 15:24a (NIV)
“If solely I hadn’t made that dumb resolution,” I lamented to my pal. “If I had recognized then what I do know now, I might have made a distinct selection.”
Ever been there? Wishing you can flip again the clock to unmake a choice? To unquit a job, undate a man or unspeak rash phrases?
All of us have choices we remorse, and we remorse them for various causes.
Possibly we lacked info, so we made your best option we may with the data we had on the time, however issues nonetheless went sideways.
Possibly we lacked maturity — our older, wiser selves would make a better option right now, however our youthful, less-experienced selves have been in cost again then.
Possibly we lacked conviction, so we made a sinful selection that harm our coronary heart or harm different folks.
That final type of remorse is the toughest to maneuver previous, isn’t it? Regrets over sinful choices might hang-out us not solely as a result of they carry painful penalties but additionally as a result of they make us spiritually insecure. We fear that even when God forgives us, He stays low-key offended. We image Him wagging a condemning finger from His heavenly throne: Don’t come whining to me. You bought your self into this mess — now get your self out of it.
However that’s not the guts of our gracious Father. In His parable of the prodigal son, Jesus illustrates God’s coronary heart towards us. The parable describes a son who squandered his inheritance in “wild dwelling” (Luke 15:13, NIV) and ended up ravenous and alone — actually wallowing in a pigpen.
When the humiliated son lastly got here to his senses and limped dwelling, we’d count on his father to have greeted him with anger or a smug “I informed you so.” However Jesus depicts the daddy like this:
“ … Whereas he was nonetheless a good distance off, his father noticed him and was crammed with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms round him and kissed him.
“The son mentioned to him, ‘Father, I’ve sinned in opposition to heaven and in opposition to you. I’m not worthy to be known as your son.’
“However the father mentioned to his servants, ‘Fast! Carry the very best gown and put it on him … Let’s have a feast and rejoice. For this son of mine was lifeless and is alive once more; he was misplaced and is discovered’” (Luke 15:20-24a, NIV).
The daddy wasn’t simply comfortable about his son’s return. He was leap-off-the-porch-and-sprint-down-the-driveway-to-hug-his-son-before-he-could-even-finish-apologizing excited. He threw a celebration and helped his son start rebuilding his life.
As we grapple with our personal regrets, what consolation we discover in Jesus’ story. After we want a recent begin, God helps us. After we confess we’ve made a large number, He celebrates our repentance. After we’ve wandered away, we are able to come to our senses and discover our heavenly Father ready with open arms, able to welcome us dwelling.
Father, thank You for loving me by my errors. Thank You that I can begin over, realizing I’m forgiven and liked. In Jesus’ Title, Amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
Our previous errors can generally really feel like they’ll maintain us again endlessly. However we’re by no means too far gone for God. In our new examine, Recent Begin: A Examine of the E book of Genesis, we’ll uncover that even when issues appear unfixable, God is within the enterprise of creating all issues new — and that features you. And for a restricted time, we’re providing this examine information for simply $13! So order your copy right now, and make plans to start out January in God’s Phrase with us! Shop now!
Elizabeth Laing Thompson’s ebook When a Friendship Falls Apart: Finding God’s Path for Healing, Forgiveness, and (Maybe) Help Letting Go helps you’re employed by the remorse and heartache we expertise when a friendship fails.
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FOR DEEPER STUDY
Ephesians 2:1-6, “When you have been lifeless due to your disobedience and your many sins. You used to stay in sin, similar to the remainder of the world, obeying the satan—the commander of the powers within the unseen world. He’s the spirit at work within the hearts of those that refuse to obey God. All of us used to stay that means, following the passionate needs and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we have been topic to God’s anger, similar to everybody else. However God is so wealthy in mercy, and he liked us a lot, that although we have been lifeless due to our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the lifeless. (It’s only by God’s grace that you’ve got been saved!) For he raised us from the lifeless together with Christ and seated us with him within the heavenly realms as a result of we’re united with Christ Jesus” (NLT).
How has God proven you grace while you’ve made poor choices? How has He helped you progress previous remorse and begin recent? Share your story in the comments.
© 2024 by Elizabeth Laing Thompson. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Field 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org