Throwback Thursday//Lessons Learned – Our Failings Don’t Predict Our Future

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.   Romans 8:38-39

I have a middle grandson named Deacon.  When his baby brother Campbell was born, Deacon was proudly bumped up to big brother status.  I can’t tell you how this thrilled this little guy’s soul!  He loved the idea of being a big brother at the ripe old age of three.

Not long into his tenure of becoming a big brother, my daughter shared with me some funny little episodes Deacon was having.  Whenever he would get in trouble for something, he would run to his room, crying ”I’m not a big brudda anymore!!!”  In his little mind, Deacon must have thought that big brothers never get into trouble, and that by doing so, he had lost his title of “Big Brother.”  It was so pitiful to watch, yet so funny to see him doing this time after time.

I think we often feel this way, too, in our times of personal failure.  I know I do.  For instance, when I was younger and had started a new job, I always wanted my boss and co-workers to think highly of me, which meant that that was only possible as long as I didn’t make a mistake.  But eventually, I would make a mistake or have an oversight, and I would feel exposed.  And consequently, I would feel like running back to my desk, crying, “I am not really an executive assistant” or “I’m not really a human resources generalist.”  I would think, The gig is up; I’ve been found out.  I should just pack up my things and leave.  My shortcomings would overwhelm my psyche, and it just made me want to give up.

Our personal failings can cause us to feel less-than over and over.  I am never going to be in a job where I don’t make a mistake.  Just like a three year old is bound to get into trouble from time to time, so is mankind.  Life’s mistakes are born from one of two things: the nature of our flesh to do evil and the shortcomings of our flesh that fail us.  It just cannot be helped.  Until we leave this world, we will create many sources of regret, offenses and embarrassment.  This is why we need Jesus, every single minute of the day.

The redeemed of God will always be the redeemed.  As we move forward in life, knowing that our flesh may fail us from time to time, it will be good to have a plan for responding.  I have a three-prong strategy for dealing with past mistakes, offenses and embarrassing snafus – the present of redemption, the process of reconciliation and the promise of restoration.  Each one was hand-pierced delivered from the Son of The Living God.  Lay hold of them my friend when failings come and be liberated by their remedies!

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.  Ephesians 1:7

Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. Matthew 5:23-24

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10

 

 

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Award-winning author Gina Duke is a wife, mom and the Director of Women’s Ministry at her local church. With a B.S. in Organizational Leadership, she is able to bring a clear word for authentic Christian living. Through her book, “Organizing Your Prayer Closet: A New and Life-Changing Way to Pray” (Abingdon Press), she imparts 1 Peter 4:7 with the gift of structured prayer journaling. If you would like to schedule Gina to speak on prayer or host a prayer journaling workshop, click here for more information. You may also follow her on Twitter and Instagram @TheGinaDuke.

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