I knew someone who had a difficult time believing she would ever truly experience God’s goodness and faithfulness (Joel 2:23). She grew up with an emotionally and physically abusive mother and absent father. In addition, she had been sexually assaulted by numerous men. In time, she thought she’d overcome the tragedy of her childhood and early adulthood. But even though she was faithful to Jesus and did her best to serve others, she couldn’t easily shake some of the dark influences that shadowed her.
This woman started to realize she couldn’t do anything about what had happened in her past. She took responsibility, however, for some of the poor decisions she had made in more recent years. And because she had made some bad choices over the past decade, she felt doomed and accursed. The nagging negative events of her childhood and early adulthood—along with her personal failures—were like locusts that destroyed the good “land” of her life, leaving it desolate (Joel 2:3).
Thankfully, God is much greater and more powerful than our circumstances and sin. And His grace is much bigger than any of our past hardships or bad decisions we’ve made. I reassured and reminded her that God “forgives all [our] sins and heals all [our] diseases. He redeems [us] from death and crowns [us] with love and tender mercies. He fills [our] life with good things” (Psalm 103:3-5).
We will all suffer the consequences of our own sin or sins committed against us by others in this life. But when we begin to rely on God, we find that sin doesn’t have the last word. He does. He starts righting the wrongs in our life and giving us back what one day will be fully restored in Jesus! (Joel 2:25; Acts 3:21).
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Acts 2:14-40
More:
Reflect on Psalm 103:8-13. Where have you seen God’s love and mercy in your life?
Next:
Why is it important to know that in Jesus we’re no longer condemned before God? How do God’s mercy and forgiveness encourage you to live in ways that honor Him?
youssef1777 on October 8, 2016 at 8:13 am
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS THE REDEEMER AND HEALER . ALL YOU NEED IS HAVE FAITH AND TRUST IN HIM .
Marlena Graves on October 8, 2016 at 8:26 pm
Amen! Faith in him and Christianity community makes it easier, too!
kauai143 on October 8, 2016 at 8:20 am
Marlena, what a wonderful reminder of Gods faithfulness! I was so blessed by this devotion . Thank you
Marlena Graves on October 8, 2016 at 8:27 pm
Thank you. That means a lot. I had to learn this truth myself!
Gary Shultz on October 8, 2016 at 8:47 am
Hi Marlena, is this not a great concept, a concept of grace and promise, a promise only our God can make. We read of wrongs sometimes being righted on earth; however God is the Great Rewarder and in my mind I do believe that God will compile great rewards for those who have been faithful through less than pleasant circumstances and situations. Yes, we will reap the cuts of sin, ours and that of others who inflict us, but God will not be part of lasting sin in His kingdom. For those who have pressed through very difficult times, a greater reward awaits. Amazingly enough, if we were on the other side of the coin, God will forgive, as you have mentioned. Rewards, not for the encroachment, but forgiveness and a fresh start to plant new where there has been destruction. Thanks Marlena
Marlena Graves on October 8, 2016 at 8:29 pm
Thank you Gary. I think we sometimes underestimate not only the effects of our own sins, but the sins of others on us. But, layer by layer, grace emerges and burns that all away until finally one day, it is all restored!
street on October 8, 2016 at 12:12 pm
as i read this i thought of abraham waiting for God’s promise of a son to be fulfilled or joesph waiting as a slave to be returned to his home and family. thinking, while we wait with Jesus, we are being conformed to the image of His Son. thinking of moses spending time in the presents of God and he started to glow. it faded as he went back into the camp. we are not allowed to stay on the mountain top, we are sent back down to the valley. thinking we can go with Him, because He said He would never leave us nor forsake us.
street on October 8, 2016 at 12:19 pm
thinking the faith of abraham joeseph and the righteous overcome all circumstance, and many were quite difficult to say the least.
thinking of the banquet prepared by God. the invited decided not to go to the banquet, but “the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.” came to the banquet when they were asked.
Marlena Graves on October 8, 2016 at 8:30 pm
Amen, that’s right. And the thing is, most of us are the poor, the crippled, and the blind and we don’t know it. But that’s how it goes. The poor in spirit know of their need for God and he invites them right in to the banquet.
sim jing ying on October 8, 2016 at 1:31 pm
I have seen God’s love and mercy when I face problems and also in good times. We have received the sonship from the crucifixion of Jesus Christ so we are no longer condemned. God’s mercy and forgiveness helps me to live a life that honor Him no matter how we sinned, we are always forgiven and no matter how hard we try to honor Him, we already tried our best.
Marlena Graves on October 8, 2016 at 8:31 pm
Yes, God’s grace is greater than our sin – though sin and guilt try to keep us down.
minkjh on October 8, 2016 at 6:06 pm
Marlena, you highlight some great talking points here. One is that your acquaintance took responsibility for some of her negative choices she had made in the past. Although that was commendable on her part, her decision didn’t provide the ultimate remedy she was expecting. Enter grace into the picture. With your mentoring and explaining how God’s forgiveness can promote true healing, there is hope for her restoration if she accepts the gift. Isaiah 1:18 tells us that God can remove the stain of sin no matter how despicable.
Marlena Graves on October 8, 2016 at 8:32 pm
Thank you. Yes, God can remove deep stains, way down deep stains of sin. You are right!