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I awoke while it was still dark and began thinking about why I’ve been depressed these past several weeks. I realized that I have a thinking pattern about myself that is different from God’s perspective about me. I spend more time than God does thinking about what’s wrong with me, how I fall short, what I lack. This is a sin because it separates me from Him!
For years I have used the illustration of the teeter-totter as a way of measuring my progress. Initially, I’m on the end that is on the ground, and the other end is up in the air. That’s God’s end; that’s where I want to be. So, as I succeed at replacing a sinful belief or habit with truth, it’s an uphill walk until I reach midpoint. From then on, I’m walking downhill on God’s side, and it’s much easier.
What I just recognized is that I’m giving more weight to my thinking pattern about what’s wrong with me than I give to God’s thoughts about me. Pretty much all my life I have pretended that I am the heavyweight, and that God is the lightweight!?! That’s why, in my life, He’s dangling His feet up in the air, while my feet are down on the ground. I’m in control. What an ILLUSION!
And naturally, there are consequences to acting as though an illusion is reality. Here are a few that came to mind: 1) I can’t respect God, because I’m “bigger” than He is. 2) I can’t be fully reconciled to Him. 3) I limit how much He can help me.
Happily, the reality is that God is bigger, wiser, and more loving than I am. That’s why He sent Jesus to redeem us from sin, and teach us to be real. In John 8,28b Jesus says, “…just as the Father taught me, I say these things.” And that was the basis for His further comment in verses 31 & 32, ”If you remain in my word, you really are my disciples (my students.) You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” He continued, “Everyone who commits a sin is a slave of sin.” But, the reality for His disciples was those who had faith in His words would be freed from slavery to sin.
Shortly before His death, Jesus prayed for His disciples who had been with Him, and then He prayed for you and me, saying, “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their message.” That’s why we can turn to Paul’s words at 2 Corinthians 5,21, and take them to heart: “Be reconciled to God. He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Awesome! — So that we might become the righteousness of God in Him — Or, as written in Hebrews 10,14, “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who have been sanctified.” From our Father’s point of view, you and I are perfect. And that explains verse 17, where “He adds: I will never again remember their sin and their lawless acts.”
God never again remembers our sins because, as Paul wrote at Romans 3,26b, God “declares righteous the one who has faith in Jesus.” Other translations render “declare righteous” as “justify” and “acquit.” This being acquitted gives me the freedom to look at Jesus as He hangs there, and say like a little boy, “Here Jesus. These sins are yours. I’ve been acting as though they were mine. I thought they were. I’m sorry.” I can give Him my shame, my guilt, as well as my unhealthy thinking patterns and habits, all in exchange for His healthy ones.
My dear brother or sister, “your sins” have never been yours. 2,000 years ago, Jesus bought them with His life. He redeemed you. The world taught you to carry a very heavy burden on your shoulders, but that burden is not legally yours. They didn’t know that Jesus paid the wages of sin with His death, and that God replaced that too-heavy load with His “gift of everlasting life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6,23) If you want to, you can choose to believe that you are perfect in God’s eyes. It may take some time to really absorb the reality of that, but you can do it with help of God’s Holy Spirit. He wants you to see yourself with His eyes.
The world (and, unfortunately, some preachers,) taught me to focus on what’s wrong with me, and God teaches me to see what’s right with me, that I am a new creation in Christ, and perfect. How could it be otherwise? God don’t make no junk! I look forward to my progressive healing by focusing my eyes and ears on Jesus, our Shepherd and “the author and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12,2.) As I improve my ability to be aware of Christ within me (Galatians 2,20) I will get better at dwelling on “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is commendable, any moral excellence or anything that is worthy of praise.” Philippians 4,8
I want to get into the habit of giving more credit to people’s strengths and potential (both others’ and my own,) instead of their shortcomings. I can love them better that way.
“Father, teach me to look to my redeemer when I become conscious of weakness, and say, ‘Here Jesus. This is yours. Show me how to handle this situation in love.” Then fix my eyes and ears on my Shepherd and follow His lead.
Would you like to join me?
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