I’m not even sure how to title this post but it’s a start. It is 12:30am and I’m laying here processing my day and all that came at me today.
We live in a fallen world, filled with sin….envy, greed, lust, murder, selfishness….the list could go on and on. Everyday we battle our sinful natures….we have free choice….we could give in to that temptation. We could even tell ourselves…..”no one will ever find out”. But that’s the thing, God knows and the Bible even says that your sin will be exposed. One day….that sin will come to light. Never believe for one second that you can keep an ugly sin secret……one day when you least expect it that sin will be revealed.
You see, none of us is perfect. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Sin is all around us, inside us. We all live in darkness, until the light of the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin. We have two choices…we can embrace that conviction and turn from our sin and allow the light to shine thru our darkness, or we can turn our back on that conviction and continue to live the sinful lifestyle.
Today was one of those days, as is everyday, when I struggle with sins I’ve committed or ones that have been done against me. Satan knows where I am weakest and he strikes. And he sucks all the joy out of me by reminding me of different things. My husband likes to call it “falling down the rabbit hole” of the past. I try to get past it but some days I give in and find myself sucked back into circumstances or events from the past.
Today I opened a letter received in the mail. As I read it my heart sank, then the gush of memories started pouring in, and then the tears started, they flowed freely for about a half hour. The contents of that letter have been heavy on my heart all day. Heavy because I know exactly how crushing it is when sin is revealed. But it also makes me realize that God has a plan and purpose for every circumstance, every wayward step we take out of His desired path for us.
It also makes me think more than ever that I am being called by God to step up and out in Faith….to be the hands and feet of Jesus. To come alongside those hurting, to be the listening ear, or the shoulder to cry on, even the encouragement to fight for what you believe in and want. To cry with you during the hard times but rejoice with you in the jaw dropping God moments, when you truly see the hand of God at work.
None of us will ever understand some of the broken roads we walk this side of eternity, but God knows, and His plans are ALWAYS better than my own. Some days it is hard for me to look up, take my heavenly daddy’s hand and trust Him with my next step. Human nature…..sin nature…..selfish nature. It’s always gotta be about me….me….me!!!!!!
But you know what I have learned this past year? It’s NOT about me. It’s about God and what can I do to best serve Him and fulfill His plan for my life. When I pour myself into my marriage or my children’s lives….when I make their needs first….it always, ALWAYS comes back to me ten fold. When I love on my husband or shower him with praise….it eventually comes back to me in a different way. When I more attentive and engaged in my children’s social and school life it comes back to me, because they feel safe sharing a heart struggle or relationship struggle with me, their mom. Selfishness is a trait I am working on A LOT right now. Learning to put my needs on the back burner and focus on the needs of those around me.
So as I wrap this up, because I am finally exhausted and will be able to go to sleep 😴, please think about some ways you can step out in faith and be the hands and feet of Jesus in 2018. Have you learned something from your past that could possibly help another with it right now. Perhaps there is a painful situation that you went thru that you could help another overcome.
No matter our past, we still have something to offer, we are all saved by AMAZING GRACE!! Your sin isn’t greater or less than my sin….God sees it all the same, sin is sin!!!! Let’s choose to live like we are suppose to….redeemed!
🎶 🎵 My chains are gone, I’ve been set free. My God my savior has ransomed me and like a flood His mercy reigns unending love, amazing grace 🎶 🎵
In His abiding love and never ending grace,
Cathi
Today Grace happens 
This is so good, Cathi. This is the piece that everyone needs to see. Life is hard, every day! And choices we make and others make for us can make life miserable. But God asks us to trust Him fully and He ALWAYS uses the hard things for His glory when we turn them to Him. ALWAYS! It’s all about living for Him and not self! It has been wonderful to see how God is growing you and teaching you to trust Him fully! Blessings to you and your family, Cathi!
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Thank you Cathi! Good reminder for all of us to remember we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Praise God for His grace! Yes we need to love others who are hurting and those like you and I who can easily fall down that rabbit’s hole and our minds can really bring us down thinking of our sins. Praise God that He is always there to pick us up, and remind us that He is not taking count of our sins, in fact He has forgotten our sin. Too bad we couldn’t forget like that! Praying for those hurting and struggling with a sin issue. I will never be the one who could throw a stone on anyone for their sin, cause if I did I too should be getting the stoning with them. I love the sinner, hate the sin and pray for healing and God to pour out His grace and love on them. Praying also that others show support and love while others are going through such struggles. Thank you again for sharing.
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