Driven Because I'm Forgiven

This world is drenched with sin and as a Christian I am not immune to it. There have been times when I've looked back on what had happened during the day and I'd kick myself because of how stupid my mess-ups were. It's at these times that Satan tries his best to make me feel unworthy of God's love. There are times when the lies that Satan feeds me make me feel like not even going to God because of how ashamed I am for what I've done. But, as I study God's word and I go to Him, the forgiveness that I know He gives always strengthens me and drives me to do better.

There are going to be times where we feel that our mess-ups are so huge that there is no way that we can be forgiven. For example, imagine you have just seen the most gorgeous person in the world. You know this person is married but you lust after them, sleep with them, and then you have their significant other killed. David, a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22), did this exact thing! Did you catch that? Acts 13:22 tells us that God considered David a man after His own heart yet David committed adultery and murdered Bathsheba's husband! Would God forgive David for such a thing? In Psalm 51:1-7 we see David's cry out to the Lord for forgiveness and in 2 Samuel 12:13 we see that God did indeed forgive him. There is no sin too great for God to forgive!

Because of God's open forgiveness, there are certain people who feel that there will be no consequences for their sins, but that is not true! God is a just God and the consequences for David's actions were still there (2 Samuel 12:11-12). The same applies for our lives, the consequences here on earth are still real. The good news though is that we will not be held accountable for our sins in Heaven because God has promised to never again remember our sins (Hebrews 10:17).

Although it is important that we remember our mistakes so that we don't make them again, if we spend all of our time being ashamed of our past, instead of working towards repenting from our sins, then we will always be too discouraged to repent! Because these earthly consequences are still very real, we need to make a conscious effort to be more like Christ.

Do you feel that your past is keeping you from becoming closer to God? Do you feel that you have done so much wrong that God could never forgive you? If you have accepted Christ, you have already been forgiven! There is no need for you to worry about whether or not God forgives you-He already has! Strengthen your relationship with Christ and allow Him to mold you into the person He wants you to be. Be driven to be more like Christ because of the awesome forgiveness He provides.