When You’ve Blown It

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:5

In this life we all make mistakes, experience failure and just flat out blow it! As hard as we try to be all God calls us to be, our humanity sneaks up in a weak moment and we will find ourselves doing the very things we detest. Our modern day life is filled with unrealistic demands, over commitments, and the constant droning of the electronic pull. We can quickly become overwhelmed, pressed down and shaken. Our emotional fuse short circuits and our spiritual witness suffers. And Satan laughs, mocks, taunts, and accuses. If we are not careful we could easily slip into condemnation, depression, shame, and despair. And that is right where the devil wants you. Tattered and torn, beating yourself up for past failures in hopes that you will throw in the towel, blame God and walk away. Don’t let Satan do this. Remember, he is already defeated!

When you are tempted to embrace the lie of condemnation remember Romans 8:1. When depression starts to overwhelm you, cling to the promise that your Lord goes before you. (Deut 31:8). Are you riddled with shame over past sins and unholy choices you have made? 1 John 1:9 reminds us that there is forgiveness and release from that shame the moment you confess your sin to God. Have you been driven to despair? Has Satan rocked your world to the point of complete loss and the absence of hope? The Apostle Paul was under great pressure, struggling to endure, being brought to the place of despair. (2 Corinthians 1:1-11). But then he remembered how God delivered His people from deadly peril in the past. Paul found new strength and acknowledged that God would deliver again. Set your hope on the Lord and know that He will deliver you in times of despair. No matter how you may have blown it, you are never destined to remain in the place of failure. There is forgiveness, renewal, and restoration that are yours in Jesus Christ. Put your hope in Christ.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, remind me that nothing can separate me from Your love (Romans 8:38). You go before me, guard me from behind and walk beside me in this life. I am forever grateful for the forgiveness and grace that are mine in Christ Jesus, in whose Name I pray, Amen.