Maybe you rushed ahead of God and made a decision before it was time.
Maybe you were deceived and tempted by the devil to make a decision and do something outside of the will of God for your life.
Maybe you willfully disobeyed God and did something you knew you weren’t supposed to do.
No matter what scenario is applicable, you are probably reaping the consequences your bad decisions have sown. You’re probably beating yourself up about it–replaying it over and over in your head. Mulling tirelessly over the woulda, shoulda, couldas.
Maybe you can’t see your way out and you don’t know how God can turn it around.
- First things first, breathe. It’s going to be okay. God, in His foreknowledge, knew you were going to make the decision you made and still chose you in Himself before the foundation of the world AND chose you to be conformed to the image of His Son Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:4; Romans 8:29).
You have been given to Jesus by God the Father, and Jesus will by no means cast you out (John 6:37).
You are His prized possession. He laid down His life and died for your sins so you could live forever.
- Therefore, humble yourself. James 4:6 tells us that “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Don’t become proud in your sin. Don’t try to rationalize it away. Don’t let the devil trick you into thinking that you have done something that Jesus can’t forgive and His blood didn’t atone for.
This is a tactic of the devil to separate you from God. Don’t fall for it.
We have a great High Priest, Jesus Christ, who empathizes with our weaknesses and was tempted in every way that we are, yet He did not sin. Therefore, we can approach His throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need (Hebrews 4:15-16).
- Go before the Lord in prayer. Confess your sins to Him. 1 John 1:9 tells us that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Once you have confessed and repented of your sin, believe and receive God’s forgiveness–no matter have egregious the offense.
- God has the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to get you out of the mess you made. Romans 8:28 tells us that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose. Ask God to give you wisdom for the situation. Ask Him to direct your steps and show you the way forward. He will!
Remember, you are not the first believer to have fallen short of the glory of the Lord or felt like they ruined their life because of bad choices and wrong decisions.
God can still use you and redeem the situation.
Just think about the Apostle Paul– a persecutor of the Church and a murderer of Christians.
Yet in 1 Timothy 1:12, the Apostle Paul said:
“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because he counted me faithful, putting me into ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”
What about Peter? In Matthew 16:18, Jesus declared to Peter that he was the rock that Jesus would build His Church upon. Jesus made this declaration knowing that Peter would deny Him three times. After Jesus is resurrected and sees Peter, He doesn’t castigate him and throw him away because of his mistake. He forgives and restores him.
So, be of good cheer! Yes, you made the wrong decision. Yes, you did what you weren’t supposed to do and you may have to bear the consequences of your actions.
Yet, there is forgiveness instead of condemnation because of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:1). There is hope, mercy and grace available to you because the God of hope who is merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy is your God! (See Romans 15:13; Psalm 103:8).
Be encouraged! You are loved! ❤️
True Love's Revelation 