I have a favorite sin.
I want so badly to hate it, and sometimes I do. When I see its effects on the people I love, when I’m granted an objective view of its effects on my own heart, when I remember how utterly contrary to the gospel it is—those are the times my sin brings me to my knees. But on most days, any average, busy day, I ignore it. Not only that, I tend to it under the radar, taking care to subtly stoke its flame.
It’s the sin of self-absorption.
There are flashier sins out there, and I have plenty of those to repent of too. But my bent to only see the world as relative to me—what I think, what I need, what I hope, what I believe—has single-handedly caused more collateral damage than most of those other sins put together.
It is the sin I’ve used to belittle my children,
putting my need for space and silence before their need for love and listening.
It is the sin I’ve used to put off my friends,
glossing over their hurts and hard spots in favor of redirecting their eyes to my own.
It is the sin I’ve used to not love my neighbors,
ignoring instead of listening, choosing indifference over engagement.
It is the sin I’ve used to quench the Holy Spirit,
looking past conviction and clutching harder to my idols.
These aren’t just phrases on a screen. These are real choices made in real relationships with real people—people I’ve hurt in large and small ways when I cling to the shards of my shattered self instead of embracing the life Christ calls me to live. There are wounds I can’t mend, moments I can’t get back, words I can’t rewind. My sin is deep. My heart aches to think of the vastness of things done and left undone.
Scripture says the Lord examines our hearts. All manner of our sins are known to Him. And our holy God, knowing every ounce of our sin, must “give to each according to his way, according to what his actions deserve” (Jeremiah 17:10). And He did. But Christ intervened, taking the Father’s holy wrath on Himself.
When Christ went to the cross, He wore the dirty rags of my attempts at righteousness, the stench of my selfishness, the weight of my blatant refusal to worship my Creator with all that I am. He suffered, not because God the Father is cruel, but because my sin was heinous and merited punishment. He bled, not because He was weak but because I am. He died, not because they executed Him, but because a sacrifice was required. When Christ went to the cross, He left nothing undone.
I hate my sin. And I hate that I don’t always hate my sin. I am broken, not in a sweet, sentimental, sing-songy way, but in a real, painful, and pain-inducing way. I am broken in a way that often breaks the people around me. I am broken in a way that should, logically speaking, separate me from a holy God. But Christ’s death is not a legend, not a story we tell to sober us into false humility or ankle-deep love. No, Christ’s death is true. His death was full, complete. Our debt has been paid by Jesus’s death, and our hope has been eternally sealed by His resurrection.
I weep with sorrow for my sin. I weep with joy for my redemption. And nothing, not even myself and my sin, will ever separate me from the love of God in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:35). Thanks be to Him.
Leave a Reply
222 thoughts on "Sin and Redemption"
“I weep with joy for my redemption!” Praise be to God!
Wow! Quite a powerful collection of passages this morning and the devotional was really well crafted. I’m going to be sitting on this for a bit.
…. Silence and reflection… amen. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you. Wow. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you Jesus
Wow this definitely was an ouch moment and spoke loud and clear
Thank you Jesus for paying the price.
Yes! Why do I settle for luke warm ankle deep love, when God has lavished the riches of his grace upon me? I want to cannon ball into his Love!
I am so thankful that I am worthy because I am covered in the blood of Christ. He goes before me.
Thank you! That hit hard but was very helpful.
Thanks to the author for being so vulnerable. I think everyone has a “favorite” sin. Thank you Jesus for doing what we could not, living a holy and blameless life. Now nothing can separate me from you. And if you are all I need, I have nothing to fear.
Wow that penultimate paragraph is powerful! Xx
love these studies that convict me in such a real way. we need to be aware of our sin on a daily basis. i am so thankful it does not separate me from my Holy God. thank you for this! ❤️
Thank you! I loved your thought of “I hate that I don’t hate my own sins.” I wrestle with this a lot. ❤️
I love knowing that even “ME” or my sins (public and private) will never separate me from the love of God in Jesus. Because of Christ’s blood shed for my sins, it’s literally an impossible idea for anything to separate me from the Living God. Wow.
i hope romans 8:35-38 is a reminder for all of us on tough days & that it will help us move forward in all our actions / day-to-day activities in a loving manner (:
This was spot on!
Wow! What a perspective! Thank you! ❤️
Very grateful for this message. I’m currently in graduate school and surrounded by people who are very opposed to Christianity. It has been incredibly difficult for me to try and balance walking in truth and grace, and I find myself often failing. Many times I take the “wisdom” of the individuals around me as truth rather than Christ’s life and teachings as Truth. I often recognize when I get caught up in this and I’m left feeling incredibly guilty, ashamed, hopeless, and broken. But praise God that nothing in all creation can separate me from the love of God. Not even my own failures or hang-ups. Praises for having a God who is bigger than me. And grace that abounds and is new every morning.
Ouch! Feeling the conviction. In a good way lol. Thanks
This struck me quite deeply. It is difficult to “fess up” to my sins and shortcomings, and it was somehow helpful to know how others struggle as well.
This was such a good word.
Thanks be to God, indeed.
I have a go back sin. It’s almost like i can’t quit… it’s lying. Some days it’s easier to condemn it other times , it delivers me from being reprimanded… but I am so glad my Savior took my sins on Him on the cross. I dance at my redemption. Thank you Jesus.
The self absorption with friends…wow. Cut deep. Committed to being less me focused and more Christ focused on the daily. And I see the need for daily interaction with our Saviour. We TRULY need His mercy and grace and a reminder to walk in love the way He does. If He could demonstrate love in a sinful state…so can we.
This, what I call a prayer was an eye opener to my own “favorite sin”, which I plan to ask forgiveness for and self reconstruction of! I plan to put your words to use in my own life, in areas I know they are needed!! Thank you for your openness! You have not only opened my eyes, but my conscience & my heart!
I am so grateful for this study. The written laments are opening my eyes. We were destined for death but predestined for life with Jesus because of God’s grace and mercy. Amen!
Those words about self-absorption with our friends though. Cut right to my heart. Thank you for speaking so vulnerably and Truthfully.
An absolute eye opener . Thank you God for always placing exactly what I need to hear in front of me ❤️
Powerful read. Thank You Jesus for loving so much.
This struck a chord deep on my soul
Amen. Thank you Jesus
I agree with some of the other comments about the sin of wanting space. WOW. That hit me like a bag of bricks. I never even thought of this as sin just something for ME. How incredibly selfish to feel this way. This is such a wonderful study. I originally thought this was more about “death” but now understand it is so much more than that!
Thank you for the devotional today! As a fellow struggler, I appreciate the timely words and this study. This verse was touching today: “…according to the riches of His grace which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.”
Wow, this hit home today!
❤
Ankle deep love. I’m going to think on that today. God lavished love on me, but I only return “ankle deep” love.
The first sentence reminds me of something my pastor said this past Sunday. He said, “There are sins that we like, and we work harder to justify them than get rid of them.” Ouch! But very true. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory!
Thank you for this teaching. Jesus’ sacrifice is amazing! He paid it all. Yes, I need to repent daily. May the Holy Spirit convict me and guide me to right living. I’m reminded of that song that says; May You receive the honor that Your due, Lord I bring an offering to You. I’m not there, but what if we lived the lives we are given as an offering to God? My life would definitely be different than it is now. I know I could not do that on my own, but God gave us His Holy Spirit. I’m also thankful for the Scripture that tells us Jesus is constantly interceding for us. What a beautiful truth to reflect on! I found this reading about the attributes of the Holy Spirit from Dr. Charles Stanley. Here is the link: http://www.intouch.org/read/blog/11-special-attributes-of-the-holy-spirit#.XdUTyOV6RRE.mailto
It’s definitely worth reading.
This was right on point! The great Christian paradox is that we must loose ourselves to find ourselves. This is so true. I recently read a book called “Confronting the myth of self-esteem” by Ester Rasband. I was suffering from low-self esteem this book helped me to realize that when we suffer from low-self esteem it’s because we are looking to gratify ourselves. When we forget about ourselves and focus on serving others we actually become happier. Sisters, I highly recommend it.
This was right on time. Much needed❤️
Oops misspelled Raechel
THIS, These are the words that we all should repeat. I have done a screen shot and save in the notes on my phone. Amanda, this is why we miss you and Rachel writing. Maybe one day time will permit.
I didn’t realize how blinded I was until this devotional. I never realized that I wouldn’t lean on God and instead on people closest to me and completely ignore the weight of the sexual immortality. I wouldn’t always feel convicted but now I do. Because I thought that it was okay to have sex outside of marriage, I added so much to Christ needing to sacrifice himself. It hurts to think that my actions had bigger consequences than I was noticing and now I realize that God doesn’t want to turn his back on me for that, He wants to love and embrace me!! How great is our God!
I love the dichotomy of mourning and dancing; despair and hope; sin and redemption. I have found myself looking for these pairings this week.
Wow what a Word today! Its pierces my heart and exposes all the hidden things that Ive been blinded too. I didnt realize how much of a sin that is, my selfish need for space that I become short tempered and unkind. Thankful for Truth today, and for Mercy and Grace thats available to us through Jesus Christ.
I think the interesting piece here for me is not just recognizing sin for what it is, sin, but to see how it effects others. In the past week I’ve had a wake up call to how my avoidance of acknowledging some of my sins has effected the way I engage with my family. It’s hard to process all of that while I’m walking through some difficult situations now…and trying to maintain some kind of balance. So thankful God is a forgiving and redeeming God. So thankful for His word that is a visual reminder of His steadfast love. So thankful for the Holy Spirit who protects us in the battle.
Thank you for this study, thank you for this devotional. Today’s is alllll toooo reall and relevant. I felt like I wrote this. Wow. Thank you for the community & for putting it all out there & in doing so allowed me to be self aware. Thank you for making me examine my self absorption. Praise God that nothing will separate is from him. Praise God for the growth and healing that comes from the Holy Spirit & Jesus’ obedient sacrifice.
Ladies, I think what we are experiencing is the transforming power of the gospel. He is changing us into Light Bearers; into the image of His Son. It’s all for His glory. His goodness blows my mind!! What is happening that we can look within and see sin and we want to repent of it? What once brought shame, brings repentance and relief! That is nothing less than the work of the Holy Spirit. All your comments speak to that reality. Holy! Holy! Holy!
I am so grateful that my daughter shared about this site 3 yrs ago and I look forwarded to reading it each morning. Dear Churchmouse I so love your sharing and this morning I can really connect to your message. I too find as I age the tears flow as I look at my past, but realize how my walk with the Lord has grown and deepened, I am humbled and give praise. Ladies your comments really make a difference thank you. God bless.
Wow. This reading was absolutely stunning. Thank you so much!
Thank you for this! If I had the gift of writing as you do Amanda, I could have written those words! Lord please take away my selfishness and give me a heart for others.
Yes, the scripture. Not correct. The scriptures in the book are:
For MORTALITY
Psalm 103:15 – 16, Psalm 90:12 – 17, first Corinthians 15:26.
For LIFE…Psalm 139, John 15:9-11, Revelation 21:4-5
Oops. These are Day 4
Sometimes it can be hard to feel broken about my sin. I can get so wrapped up in my day to day tasks and things that I don’t even realize that over the course of my day I’ve been unkind, selfish, apathetic, disrespectful, all without meaning to. I wake up every morning and try to do better than I did the day before. The days I feel I do the “best” are Saturdays. Sabbath. The day that I am not running around doing a bunch of errands or working and feeling burnt out. The thing is, not every day can be Saturday. Most days I am running errands and working a full time job that requires me to think of others and put them above myself. My sinful nature can start it’s own routine of auto-pilot leaving me at the end of the day with a list of things I need to repent of. This auto-pilot setting causes me to forget that I have a God who is able to empathize with me and this same God is the one who ultimately saves me at the end of the day and gives me rest. So many times I can get down on myself for letting the auto-pilot setting sneak into my day, but I also can find joy in the One who forgives me of my sin and grants me grace every single day.
Beautifully said Avalon. Amen and praise God for his love, mercy and forgiveness.
Wow, as a Mama of 5 children I can relate to the feeling of needing space. What a lightbulb moment for me when I see this sin that it is! Thank you God for the lightbulb moment, and always showing me the truth!
Yes, it was a lightbulb moment for me too!
Goodness, yes.
The balance can be tricky. Because even Jesus left his disciples to go to a quiet place to pray… his needy disciples who had a lot of questions and wouldn’t stop bothering him and doubted what Jesus said. I think the Lord knows we need quiet and kid-free space sometimes. It’s the heart posture we have about it that matters, in my opinion.
I need to print this so I can reread this every day…these words were written for me
Yes! Me too!
Thank you to all who comment here. I love this devotional site and have been coming here for years. Not just to learn from our writers but from all of you who participate. This is,yes, so real. I am so unworthy and blessed He calls me out of my sin everyday.
I so agree! Sometimes I’m reading the comments years after they’ve been written and learning from others’ insights/stories/prayers. Always knowing we’re not alone in this journey.
This is real.
Too real.
Thank you.
(I live south of Nashville – wish I could have a cup of coffee with you.)
Thank you for this.These words pierce…and kindle within me this morning.
The older I get the more I weep over my sin. You would think I would have conquered habitual sin by now. Not so. Tangled roots run deep. Pride is not easily vanquished. I am well aware of how destructive it is. So back to the Cross I go. Once again I fall prostrate before Him. Once again I am reminded that He paid the price for my sin – the ones that are in the past and the ones I yet struggle with. Sorrow over sin turns into gratitude for His magnificent mercy. I call on the Holy Spirit to continue to work on me, to transform me more to His likeness. He never gives up.
So much wisdom in this devotional. I am definitely guilty of being self-absorbed and obsessed with analyzing myself
This is my favorite one so far
If god is for us who could be against us! What a God! Definitely felt the Holy Spirit move in my heart reading this
wow this has been my favorite devo i’ve read in a while. this resonated with me so deeply. i am trying to not be self-absorbed and selfish too. it’s cost me my relationship with my fiancé. he left me because of all my sin that wasn’t getting any better.
Thanks for this sobering self-scrutiny! How easy it is to ignore the hidden spark of self-centredness that flares up into all sorts of hurt, yet how amazing is the grace of God who’s love make broken pieces whole again!
You know that moment when you wake up from a dream about making a horrible, life altering mistake, and you instantly feel relieved that it was all just a dream? Sometimes, when I fully realize just how sinful and broken I am, it feels like the moment before you wake up, when everything is hopeless and you just want to die so that you can’t make anymore mistakes. But then God reminds me that He has forgiven me and loves me anyway and it feels like the moment when you wake up and realize that everything is okay. But it’s not a dream, it’s all real, and no matter how hard I try to be better, I’ll never be perfect. That’s why I need God.
Love this reminder!
It amazes me that when we write in obedience to what God puts on our hearts it can impact people outside of the limits of time. Spot on for what I needed today! Thank you Amanda for being vulnerable, for taking off the mask, for showing your true heart and for being obedient to write what our Heavenly Father spoke to your heart. Thank you for being an agent of hope as you remind us that NOTHING can separate us from His vast & unrelenting love!
Funny, as I was reading through the comments, I got a Facebook notification that someone commented on a picture… Wow!! Talk about timing…. here I am reading about self-absorption, and there I was tempted to be self-absorbed. What a humbling reminder of how subtle the father of lies can be. So thankful, Lord Jesus, for Your timing and for your love and grace! Here I sit, at Your feet, asking for Your forgiveness…. forgiveness for my self-absorption, for putting my own happiness above the needs of others. Your timing, Lord, is more perfect that we could ever comprehend!!
It can be so easy for me to dwell in my own pain and see nothing more than that. To not see God working in my life, to ignore others pain because I need more time and I need more attention focused on my own. We are all hurting and are all in need. This reading has been wonderful for me. It’s helping me to push through and all of these comments help me remember I’m not alone in this fight. Thank you so much
Amen!
I struggle with self absorption in the sense that I search for that space and quiet and my need for that becomes all consuming. I don’t have kids or a husband to ignore but I seek that at work, after work I seek that over opportunity for loving others. I tell myself that I deserve that space and quiet, it’s all about my health. I pray that I am able to venture outside of myself and my own needs
Amen. A hard line to balance in the eyes of the world but not with clarity from God. Reminds me of the making room/hospitality srt plan I’ve seen on the list but haven’t done yet
So this is now he second time in less than 24 hours that I’ve heard preaching on self absorption….I feel like God may be saying something to me;) however, I don’t know which areas or how I may be self absorbed, so I’m praying God will show me that. Thankful for this today! Definitely made me go “hmmmm….ok God…..I’m listening.”
I needed this today.
❤️❤️
Love this, series on mourning and dancing – I just lost someone really close to me that was a part of me. This helps me.
Love this, series on mourning and dancing – I just lost someone really close to me that was a part of me. This helps me.
God, help me to also hate my sin!
This reminded me, my brokenness is real. It hurts many parts of my life and I need to recognized it, but God loves anyway. Nothing, absolutely no situation or hurt can separate me from that love.
Thank you for writing this devotion! It is my first at she reads truth. I am a person in my 40’s who’s husband died 16 years ago after a 2 yr. relationship and a 9 month marriage. Survival instead of life has been my pattern since this and other trials in my life. However, His word is giving me clarity thru your devotion, so thank you!
Thank you for articulating my struggle for so long. I’ve been stuck mourning my sinfulness and the separation from God that it entails, that I forgot that nothing, not even the worst of what I’ve done, will separate me from His love. I think this is something that many churches forget to tell us. God has such a big, strong love that will never be shaken.
Love this ❤️️
This pierced my heart. Particularly “It is the sin I’ve used to belittle my children, putting my need for space and silence before their need for love and listening”. It was like the Holy Spirit shined a huge flash light right there. Convicted, repenting and thanking God for opening my eyes.
I know this comment was left a month ago, but the same passage hit me this morning.
Yes, even months later, this broke my heart too. I pray God will give me wisdom to see their needs before my own.
This is something that I’ve had that small whisper of “maybe my priorities are off here and I really should change them.” But I brushed it off as, all moms do it. Reading that was confirming the conviction I’ve been trying not to embrace. God is so faithful and merciful.
Those words my heart needed that hard truth.
The Holy Spirit has really brought the sin of self-absorption to the front line for me. There are so many sins that I think about and battle through, bringing to the cross regularly, but not this one. This one I can easily excuse away. I’m so thankful that after all that Christ went through on the cross for me, when I am sinning in this way, He doesn’t beat me over the head to get my attention. Through gentle, loving nudges He brings it to light- the Spirit shows me where my heart needs to surrender and repent, and through those loving nudges I find grace. I am so thankful for GRACE! My flesh is weak, so very weak for my own desires, my self-absorbed desires of comfort, relaxation, “me-time”, but THE SPIRIT is stronger! Lord I need You, Oh I need You, every hour I need you!!! Thank you Amanda for your honesty- in sharing, your nudge from the Spirit was used in my life today! May my brokenness not break the people around me today.
I just wanna say I PRAISE GOD, for SRT & today’s devo, and more importantly I thank God for all you wonderful and amazing Women & each and every comment, insight, & truth! I’m so grateful for Yalls support gotten from yalls sharing! It’s such a relief & so reassuring that I’m not alone! Regardless of my sin or season, it’s comforting & even helps to diminish some self-absorbing knowing that I’m not the only one to have to deal with these issues, there’s always somebody that’s going thru the same thing! Also, it would do us some good to remember that we are not so special on our own to be blessed with the Lord’s gift of mercy, forgiveness, & GRACE, because the Lord offers that gift to everyone for the taking! Praise God that despite our selfishness, Jesus has led us to cry out to him, so that we can receive that gift of GRACE, free of charge, we are forgiven of our sins, free from anything of our self, not because we are special & so loved for being who we are, but we are saved by GRACE, …For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son… So that each of us can be freed from our self absorption and all our sins, thru Jesus we are made whole!
This article touched somewhere so deep inside of me! This is a word that I have been needing to hear and have been waiting be to hear for a very long time. I didn’t know I needed it until I read it, but I can see now the depth of my need and the blessing that awaits me when I deal with this sin. Thank you for Sharibg your story and these words, and for showing me just how big of a deal this can be. For so long now I have been praying and couldn’t break through this wall when it came to my relationship with Jesus. I couldn’t see…I felt stuck and paralyzed. Now I know the way to come to my father and what to repent of. For so long this has been such a huge part of me and has kept me separated from Him. But I can see the light in this moment. Thank you once again!!
This is what I’ve been trying to say all along , I too let my sins get in the way with my relationship with God. I am selfish , and I repent that sin. Nothing will no longer get in the way of my relationship with God , not even a silly sin. I really needed this , I cried the whole time reading this .
Felt incredibly convicted by this reading!! How can I not week when I think of how willing He was to bear the enormous weight of my sins?!
I have been trying to share my faith with people that seem to be impossible to reach and these readings today remind me how great God is in our sin and in our redemption! Loved this!
I believe this is the sin I struggle with the most as well… And I justify it. All day long. When I don’t put down my phone to listen to what my kids have to say. Or I ignore my husband because it’s easier than having to deal with whatever he needs at the moment. And then I am short with them for all they want is my attention. I forget that I am called everyday to be a wife and mom first… And I’m not called to love and tend to myself. Those things come by human nature. It devastates me that God sees my heart. And yet he still loves me.
I am right with you in this conviction and devastation
powerful, loved it
“He bled not because he was weak, but because I am”. What a powerful statement. I sat for a while and really let that sink in. Everything he did and has done and will do for us, is out of an undying love. Praise The Lord!!
Thank you for writing about this. Beautifully said and in awe of how awesome the Holy Spirit is to help us everyday. He will never leave us, that’s His promise.
Susan, I pray over you that the Lord would lift up the burden of your enormous pain. I pray that He would fill your time here on earth with His peace and rest. The Lord feels every ounce of the pain you feel. He weeps for your hurting. You are not alone. You are so very loved. So very loved.
can’t read the continued part of the comments but I am so tired of trying to live ever day. the funeral was a year ago tomorrow. i am too old to be crying like this. i apologize for interrupting you ladies.
Please know that the fact that you rise each day is am accomplishment. You are loved. You are needed. You have been made part of this world for a divine reason. Keep trying. If day by day is too hard, go hour to hour. Praying for you.
I am praying for you also. I too am dealing with a great amount of death in my life and it’s so hard to see past the pain and hurt but yes I do believe Gods not done with us yet. He has a great plan for our lives.
So needed this today. I have been struggling with a lot of anger and loneliness and I am now starting to see what is causing it. My heart sank as well as felt relief as I read these words “I hate my sin. And I hate that I don’t always hate my sin. I am broken, not in a sweet, sentimental, sing-songy way, but in a real, painful, and pain-induced way. I AM BROKEN in a way that often breaks the people around me. I am broken in a way that should logically speaking, separate me from a holy God.” I am glad God is opening my eyes so that I can heal and ask forgiveness to those I have hurt. I am so blessed for this redemption.
I especially LOVE the “I am broken…not in a sing-songy way”… I remember when I was a little girl and someone I thought was amazing would say that, I would think ” Wow, she’s so humble” until I felt it so much myself. I want to shout “If only you knew my heart, and saw what He sees…I’m unworthy to carry His name.” Thank you for the reminder of the completeness of our redemption in Him.
This surely rubs against the world’s mantra to “follow your heart.” I recently wrote about all the things we sacrifice On The Altar of Feelings: https://awordthatmatters.wordpress.com/2016/07/19/on-the-altar-of-feelings/
This was just what my heart needed today. I was very selfish and it has hurt people around me and hurt my family tremendously. I acknowledged and accepted my guilt in what I did; I made full restitution; I apologized to all that I hurt (the people I wronged and my family), along with close friends to hold me accountable, and asked for their forgiveness. I have cried out to God and confessed my sins and asked for His forgiveness and direction in my life now. My family and friends have loved me, supported me, and prayed me through it. Unfortunately, as I near time for my court date on Wednesday morning (it is now Monday evening), my attorney has advised that the are other claims being made against me. FALSE claims, which include my husband. I will continue to thank God and claim it in Jesus’ name that the truth will prevail. I keep reminding myself that when the pressure is on, God is preparing me for something better.
Sheila, I will be praying for you. May you feel completely held in His loving hands.
A wonderful reminder that we are all sinners, saved only by the grace of God. Thank you for sharing from your heart.
Beautiful and convicting! Thank you so much for writing this!
So well written and so convicting. Thank you for this.
Such good Truth! Just what I needed to read tonight. Thank you❤️
Well written. So convicting.
WOW! The similarity we have is crazy. Thank you so much for sharing and shinning a new view point on selfishness. It is a sin and something I too have to repent for. Thank God for his grace and being able to look past our faults and see our true hearts. May God bless you!
Wow.! This one hit home! Praise God for sending his son. !
This was just what I needed to read today. I feel sometimes that I’ve become so self-absorbed that it doesn’t even occur to me that I’m self-absorbed, so this was a welcome wake up call and reminder. It seems like every time I realize how absorbed in my own problems I’ve been, I fall straight back into my self-obsessive thoughts just minutes later, but I’m so thankful I can keep coming back to God every time.
Same, Olivia! Praying for a glaring awareness of sin in my life (& yours, SRT sisters!), that God would illuminate sin in our lives and lead us to REPENT.
This is so good and true and I’m so glad there is hope for me.
Sometimes I think to myself that I’m not really that bad, that my sins aren’t as bad as other’s sins. Well, BAM!! This reading was exactly what I needed!! So many times I fall into self-absorption! I say the same things to my children about needing time to myself. Thanks for sharing your story and for opening my eyes to the reality of my sins!
Also, so much extra teaching in the comments! I’ve read them all! Thanks ladies, may God bless you all.
Thank you. My pastor preached a message about the sins we struggle with on Sunday. As I was listening I knew some of the sins that those around me were discussing, but I didn’t have a name for what I struggle most with. Now I do. I pray that I can overcome this!
I sadly did not read yesterday’s devo – but, better late then never, huh?….. I am soooo glad I went back today after reading today’s devotional!!! I am drinking up EVERYTHING SINGLE word written and can’t seem to get enough of My Lord’s words…..
I never fully realized this was a sin. But as I think about how that shows up in my life and keeps me from doing what God wants to do in my life my heart is heavy. How many times have I neglected others for my own sake? But this word today reminds me that I don’t have to be a slave to this sin. Today is a new day and the mercy of God is sufficient for this day. Praise God for that!
The sin of self absorption. I’m guilty of this all the time. Lord, help me.
I ask God to align his will with my will every morning and ask him how may I be of service throughout the day.
I am amazed by all these teachings and sharing of the heart, it is truly inspiring, i have just come across this site when a friend shared the link of a study. I am going through a really hard time I am stressed and finding it hard to cope, but reading through and the comments i have just realized that through this season I have been so absorbed in me I have failed to see true love in the things God has put in front of me, I have just wanted him to sort out my home, my finances and get on with it and take care of me. But i haven’t loved my children, i have faulted everyone around me, my heart hasn’t been honest. this hurts me very much knowing this now. i pray that the Lord forgives me and helps me through this dark time but help me to grow into the desirable child and woman that is pleasing before him. i have failed over and over and i am so scared of how this is affecting everything. i want to learn to love me so i can truly feel like he loves me and hears me too because right now i am having a hard time believing that.
Thank you for sharing your truths and opening up that we all are going through something. thank you God bless you all.
In Christ, our incurable hearts (Jeremiah 17:9-10) are miraculously redeemed. 1john 3:20 says, “whenever are hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and knows all things.” God is so gracious to turn even our self induced mourning into dancing!
Powerful just powerful! Thank you for your honesty and for being so raw and real!
Wow, hello mirror at the day to day battles with myself and what I feel I deserve. Ouch, tears and more tears as I replay what I said to my 5 year old earlier and the list goes on and on. This is my serial sin for sure and I didn’t realize it until now. Thank you for your honesty.
Amen. I’m with you. I didn’t have a name for it – and now I do.
Oh man, this was so what I needed to read today while I began to worry about what my boyfriend may do in his suppressed depression and struggle with alcohol. I know God is around him and I can feel His holy presence and my boyfriend runs from that, as well as my love and his family’s love. He isolates and I know that’s when the enemy deceives him with lies. But this encouraged me that God is strong enough to break through those walls. Please continue to pray that my boyfriend will come to believe, admit to his depression and problem with alcohol, and accept Jesus so that the rest of his life can be the best of his life. Also for strength for me, as I feel called to stay in his life through this season so as to be a light for the Lord. I need all the prayer power I can get on this. <3
I will pray for you and your boyfriend.
This hit really close to home cuz I struggle with this sin as well. Thank you for your honesty Amanda. I needed this. It’s a sin that you can get really comfortable in without realizing how much it effects other people. Thank goodness for the cross!
This really hit home. Beautifully written.
“I weep with sorrow for my sin. I weep with joy for my redemption.”…now this is mourning and dancing that we can all relate to I’m sure! thanks for sharing this today. I’ve never really viewed sin in this way, but what a great perspective to now have
It is so refreshing to hear sin talked about in this way; not a word that gets glossed over, but true, gut wrenching hurt and pain. A heart issue. Thank you for sharing
Thanks for joining us today, Mary-Anne! So glad you’re here!
xoxo-Kaitlin
I love to forget my sin. I often look over the fact that I am broken, evil, everything that God is not, and truly unworthy to be in His presence. I’m selfish, I look to my own interests first, I doubt, I let demeaning speech sometimes come out of my mouth. We need to remember our sin because we need to remember that while we were once filled with sin, we are now filled with Christ. While we were evil and broken and ashamed, He loved us anyway and did everything, and I mean everything, to let us have a relationship with Him and the Father.
Today I remember my brokenness and praise Him for the beauty that He has assembled with all the pieces. I am redeemed!
“While we were once filled with sin, we are now filled with Christ.” Amen and amen. Thank you for those words, Caroline. xo, Amanda
This is so beautiful, and something that really hit me. Thank you for sharing this.
So honestly and powerfully written; thank you for putting into words my daily struggle with this crafty sin!
Crafty is a good word for it, Cari. Grateful for redemption!
xoxo-Kaitlin
Love that description, Cari!
Ouch…this really hit home. Thanks for speaking the truth to ME and reminding me that my selfishness is a sin but it is covered by the work of the cross.
For a long time I couldn’t forgive myself even though I knew God did because when my boys were little I didn’t give them a strong going to church background. My husband didn’t like to go so it was always me and 2 little boys that wanted to act like little boys do-loud and active. I found that because I tried so hard to make them quiet and that it angered me that it wasn’t such a Christian attitude so we stopped going. I thought that when they were older we could go then. But it wasn’t a habit and they then didn’t want to attend youth group, camps etc because they didn’t feel comfortable there. It just made me sick. But one day after they were in high school and I was sitting in church continually berating myself about what I had done, I heard Jesus’ voice. “Candy, if you can’t forgive yourself then I died for nothing!” Wow what a slap to the face! I thought “I can’t do that to you Lord”. So I forgave myself and moved on with my life. THAT is the power of Christ’s blood shed for us. Thank you Jesus that You love me that much!
Thank you for sharing this, Candy! I have many parenting regrets of my own. What a gift to receive Christ’s forgiveness and be able to model that for our children. Glad you are here today. xo, Amanda
Thank you for this, Amanda. Lately I have been consumed with regret and sorrow for my sins that have hurt my fiancé, friends and family. I struggle to believe that I will ever be able to change. But thanks be to God that He is with me and gives me strength, one day at a time. I’m thankful that my loved ones have extended grace and forgiveness to me as I work on facing my sin and moving forward, not looking behind any more.
Katie I am in a similar season as you, working towards mending wounds caused to my fiancé and family by my careless words and actions. I struggle with feeling unworthy of their love and forgiveness, and sometimes put myself in a pit that I struggle to climb out of we. We are daughters of the true King, who sees us and knows us and knows our hearts and loves us all the same. We can walk in confidence that His grace is sufficient, and we still have purpose, and He hasn’t forgotten His promises. I’m praying for you sister, walk in peace!
Praying for you too, Kaci!
Wow! Going through some hard times and woke up reflecting the poor choices I’ve made these past couple of days. God hears me and I know it through this, I asked for a guide because I felt so lost and today I felt in tuned with my spiritual side knowing I am not always true to my faith. I sin but never fully take responsibility for my sins I say I’m sorry and I “try” to mend my errors but I always resort to sinning. Today’s passage really hit close to home because I am selfish in that I only think of my hurt and my pain when I know others also have feelings. I always do this and I need to learn to listen not only with my ears but with my heart I need to not allow my sin to consume what I know is right and let my love for Juses Christ lead the way I love and forgive.
Wow, what a very thoughtful and reflective post. Thank you for writing it!
Two thoughts immediately came to mind…
1- We live in a culture that loves to rank sin. We shout with all our might that sexual immorality (just for example) is ruining our country, but fail to notice our own wrath, unloving words, and angry hearts. We love to point out the “big” sins surrounding political issues, but you never see a campaign about jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, speaking evil, or fear mongering. These sins are quietly pushed under the rug, and can quickly build up like a clump of dust in your heart. They’re noticeable, but we don’t feel comfortable calling them out for some reason… maybe because we all deal with some, whereas we don’t all deal with the bigger, political type sins.
2) How prevalent is judgement in our time? I think it’s huge, thanks to social media. We know others will judge us on what we post about our accomplishments, what news stories we share, how good we look in our photos. Great things can come from social media of course and I don’t think I’ll leave it soon, but I really have to battle against envy and judgement while scrolling through. It always pops up on my fb feed that a coworker of mine is “liking” posts about running over protestors on the highway, and it breaks my heart. I’ve been one of those protestors, and have lovely friends that continue to be. Then I start to judge her, thinking “how can she be trusted teaching children at the school if she approves of murder?! Clearly she’s delusional!”… but I know that’s not her heart. I know she’s a God loving woman. I know it’s not my place to judge her. I’m saddened and surprised, but I need to leave it at that and not let it well up in my heart to turn into anger.
Well said.
I’ve felt the same way and had to unfollow people so I won’t see their posts that I then judge and question their sanity as I am sure they question mine for the things I laugh at or “like”
I do feel I concentrate too much on myself and not those around me. I want to be more willing to listen and seek God. I want to reach out to others and listen to their concerns. Maybe if I could stop focusing on myself so much, my main focus needs to be on God. I need to be thankful for all that he has done and sometimes I under estimate everything.
We just had a self reflection night the other day for our leaders in ministry and I realized that the reason why I’m so timid, the reason why I don’t speak up or out, the reason why I can’t get myself to say a prayer in front of my leadership community is because I’m more concerned with their approval than Gods approval. In the end, it’s self absorption because I’m more concerned with my needs, how I feel, how I sound (like that should matter) rather than how other people can be blessed through me serving them in prayer, a word God put on my heart, etc. I also find that sometimes I want to build my kingdom rather than building Gods kingdom. I sometimes think that it’s because of my talents and my gifts that I’m even a leader but I need to remember that the only reason I’m m there is because of God working through me and because He has put the same Holy Spirit of Christ in me and all of us for that matter so that we are able to do His will. I want to stop building my kingdom and making it about me. I want to empty myself so that He can fill me up. I want to hunger for people that are lost more than I want to worry about how uncomfortable I am or how inadequate I feel. Hunger for Gods Kingdom requires no talent.
Melody, I hope you see this. I was totally you. Fearful, timid, doubtful, not confident, yet full of pride. You have to get this book, it’s called Fear Factor: What satan doesn’t want you to know by Wayne and Joshua Mack. God used it to deal with my huge fear of man and small fear of Him. You have to get it!
Wow thank you so much! I’ll definitely look into that! I’m such an approval junkie and it needs to stop! It’s gotten to the point where ENOUGH is ENOUGH and I’m tired of the enemy holding me back, in bondage. I appreciate your encouragement :)
I know just how to you feel, Melody! I’ve been so timid to pray in front of groups before, which is just so ridiculous. And you’re so right that it comes down to self pride, and approval from the group. Literally thinking “what if my voice sounds weird”… so silly! You aren’t alone in this, and you might even inspire others in your ministry to become a little braver too :)
Thanks for sharing that with me. It’s cool to know that I’m not alone. I’ve just lived in that fear for so long and I’m hungry for chains to be broken and anxious to live in freedom. I’ve realized the enemy wants us to live in bondage, but the Lord has died for these very reasons, so that we can live a life full of abundance and boldness in Him. I’ll be praying that God breaks down walls in both of our lives and that his approval becomes greater than the worlds approval. I’m with you and I’m empathizing with you. God has not given us a spirit of fear or timidity but of power, love and sound judgment. 2 Timothy 1:7
I couldn’t sleep last night. As I laid in bed my thoughts took me all over the place: memories from the past, my reactions and feelings were vivid. The Lord was gracious and used the time to show me the ugly truth: I want to make life all about ME.
After recently moving to a new city and looking for a new job I had the revelation that I want to work for two reasons 1) we need to work on a lot of financial goals but 2) so I can prove to others back home that I am successful. I so badly want to put on Facebook and LinkedIn for all my ‘friends’ and co workers and past bosses to see a fancy new job title proving that ‘I’m awesome’… Wow.
I hate that I don’t hate my sin all the time. Everyone wants to feel accomplished and valued but my IDENTITY has been defined by WHAaT I DO for so long now it’s hard to see my identity in Christ.
Lord, thank you for examining my mind and testing my heart. The heart is truly deceitful. May I learn to guard it above all else. As ugly and uncomfortable my sin my be, I praise you for already covering it with your blood so I may be free.
I just deactivated Facebook for very similar reasons. Social media makes me ugly and the Holy Spirit has been convicting me of it lately. Why do I put anything on Facebook???? I want people to envy me when I only put photos on of the good stuff going on. I’m putting a stumbling block in front of anyone seeing my posts in their newsfeed. It’s all about me… Self-absorption! You are not alone, sister!!!!
I loved this entry. I struggle with the same sin of self absorption. How is it overcome?? Just allowing God to transform us… Is there any way to act in faith against this?
Hi Rebekah. I’m with you – I wish so badly for a “fix” for this and so many other sins. When it comes to this one, all I know to do is keep looking to Jesus. And, by that I mean, literally looking at His life in the Gospels and the message of repentance, love, and forgiveness He taught and modeled. I also find that prayer is an effective way to give voice to the “me” things that I need to speak to God as well as turn my heart and attention to others. When I’m praying for God’s kingdom to come, my kingdom tends to fade from view. I don’t think we’ll ever be fully emptied of self until we reach Glory, but I do believe sanctification is real and that God does indeed transform us as you said. Confessing our sin to each other is a pretty solid step. Thank you for chiming in today. xo, Amanda
I find it so hard to focus on the redemption through Christ than the sin. To feel forgiven and like God can still love me despite my sins. Does anyone else ever feel completely incased in thinking about their sin – feeling not good enough, unworthy, unlovable, like a bad person? Sometimes I lay in bed at night and can’t fall asleep because I think about what a sinner I am. I think about ways I’ve failed or hurt people in the past and feel like a bad person to my core. I wonder how God can love me, and when I feel so distant from him I feel like he doesn’t.
I’ve been in an abusive marriage for over two years now, and my husband will say things to me like, “Name a list of things you do wrong NOW” or, “You are the most prideful/judgmental/etc. person I’ve ever met.” Hearing things like this regularly push the feeling of inadequacy into my soul. I really struggle to detach myself from the idea that I am a terrible sinner and sink into the truth that God loves me and offers redemption.
Praying for you this morning, Anna. That you would have a closeness to Jesus that will carry you through these hard days. Jesus is not tolerating you, frustrated by all your choices and wishing you were so much more. He is absolutely head over heels in love with you. He cherishes you. This finally sunk in for me while reading The Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning, if you can get a copy of it, you should. XOXO
Praying for you, for God’s will in your marriage and in your life. Verbal and emotional abuse are as damaging as physical abuse and often are just precursors to it. Please, if you haven’t already, seek help. Satan delights in those things kept in the dark because he has free reign to operate. Expose this to the light & allow people to come around you to help you have safe boundaries & show your husband love despite his sin.
Oh, one more thing…. the most important thing!… Nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. Nothing.
I identify with what you are saying! I think that many Christians at some point struggle with this at least to some extent. The truth is that we’re all dirty sinners unworthy of the love of God. I’m not sure of the quote exactly, or where I read it but I read something to this effect that changed the way I thought about it: When we feel like we are unworthy of Christ’s love and focusing on ourselves and how we are not good enough, we are downplaying how big our God is and essentially saying that He is not big enough or that His love is not deep enough to overcome our sin. I would highly encourage you to read a book called, “What Do You Think of Me and Why Do I Care” by Edward T. Welch. It opened my eyes to how I was wrongly thinking about myself, God, and others around me and changed my way of thinking drastically. A quote from that book says, “He doesn’t love you because you accurately see the false worship in your heart. He loves you simply because He is LOVE and He loves you. If He loved you because you were idol free, His love would change from day to day. But since He loves you because He is love, His love is constant.” I pray these words will encourage you as they did me. I found it helpful myself to combat the nighttime mind swirling by quoting passages of scripture in my head–Ps. 139 is a favorite. It’s extremely calming and helps to get your mind out of that rut. Also, regularly KNEELING and praying ALOUD has a huge impact, especially if you do it daily even when you don’t feel like it (kind of like the way I feel about exercise :). If you feel like you have nothing to pray–pray scripture–Ps. 13 got me through many a day (I would also recommend using a physical Bible while praying/studying so notifications etc. do not distract). May God bless you & keep you.
Hi Anna,
Bless you for having the courage to share your story. Are you a part of a church group that you can trust and confide in? You really shouldn’t be going through this pain alone, especially as your husband is a large part of the pain. Marriage isn’t meant to be abusive, and I hope you have the strength to confront your husband about this today. He should be your biggest supporter, and he needs to get help from others if he’s failing to see that.
I pray that you can find a church with kingdom principles, who will provide you support. In the meantime, know that you always have redemption in Christ. There’s nothing you can do to make God stop loving you. Romans 5:8 “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” You are forever forgiven because Jesus died on the cross for you (for ALL of us). God loves you and knows that you will sin, because you’re human and we live in a fallen world.
Praying for you, Anna!
Dear Anna, I am praying that you will allow God to show you how precious you are just the way you are. You are perfect in His sight. Please please listen to God in your heart. “You are my perfect child whom I love”. Do NOT let anyone else’s words define you- let Jesus define you! You DO NOT deserve to be treated this way by your husband! God loves you and wants the best for you always. Take courage in holding unto His hand and repeat to yourself often that “You are God’s masterpiece made new in Christ Jesus to do the good things He has planned for you” Ephesians 2:10. I am praying for your freedom from this abusive relationship because you do NOT deserve it! Much love!
Thank you for your vulnerability. I’m right there with you!
Hi Anna,. I am there with you. I just left an abusive, both physically and verbally, marriage after 4 years. It has me down from all the manipulation, bullying, controlling, intimidation, anger. But I know who I am in Jesus and I am so grateful for Him and the people he has put in my life. I have learned that I don’t deserve it because I am the daughter of the King.. i pray that you will find a wonderful church that will come along side you as many churches don’t know how to handle abuse. I pray that you will realize your worth and that you have strong friends who can help you. It has been a long year for me as we have been separated and are now getting divorced and I still have a long way to go but I am stronger now and I know that I will never let anyone treat me the way that he did again. God has been so good to me and my redemption is happening now. He will take care of it. I put my trust in Him!! God Bless You…
The vulnerability of these words is so powerful. I love Hebrews 4:15-16 and I sometimes forget about these verses. I sometimes forget that I can approach my God with confidence, knowing that He will love me in spite of my sin. I needed this gentle reminder this morning. Thank you Amanda!
http://www.littlelightonahill.com
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Thank you for all the honest words! All of us have these ugly parts in our lives and we desperately hate them and still can’t ignore them. Yesterday I stumbled once again over my old sins (need to confess this as a sin, not just a serious problem) and Satan constantly tries to keep thinking me that I am too far away for the grace of God. But your words and the lament of todays reading in the plan are so helpful. Thanks to Him for His never ending grace and thanks to you for being honest like this, dear sister!
Amanda your confession of your sins of belittling your children and ignoring the holy spirit hit me right in the soul! Two things I struggle with daily – many many times a day! I long for quiet yet get restless when it is calm. I long to have my own earthly idols held within stuff but want the Holy Spirit to lead my life in “other” ways. I condemn myself daily for these things. Yet Jesus forgave this and gave us a new life. And today’s reminder of that is just what I needed! Thank you!
This is SO great! Really hit home. Thank you for being so open – you articulated what I need to work on so well!
“It is the sin I’ve used to belittle my children, putting my need for space and silence before their need for love and listening.”
That sentence cut me to the quick. I struggle with overwhelming anxiety and at times it makes me unable to handle the noise and chaos of my children. But instead of calmly and lovingly asking them to lower their voices or find something quieter to do, I scream and shout at them to “BE QUIET!!” I put my need for quiet above their need to just be kids. Honestly, it brings to mind my grandfather, who would do the same thing to us grandkids. And I feared and hated him for it. I don’t want to treat my kids the same way. I don’t want them to fear and hate me. I pray for patience and that God would change my heart to put the needs of my kids above my needs for quiet and space. Thank you so much for those convicting words this morning, Amanda.
I’ve been a “grumpy grandma ” lately, & needed this reminder that even in my later years this life is not about me, but pointing others to Jesus! Have my words & actions been doing that? Sadly, I think not! Thank you for the “slap” that I needed!
wow. my heart hurts reading this. Us adults do that so often without a second thought. Their “just kids” and we apparently think we can speak to them without the same dignity and respect we speak to other human beings with. thank you for sharing your heart with such honesty. makes me evaluate my own.
If you are a mama, this is going to happen. We do not always move and act in a serene/sublime manner. Instead, we shout or snap. My boys are grown now but they will often say that they remember how I would apologize for my “bad behavior”…little ones are not the only ones that lose it! Good lessons in grace and forgiveness for all!
Oh my, I felt the sting of your words this morning as I read this. Holy Spirit was convicting me of my self absorption! I must remember this life is not about me and I am so grateful for His mercies and His forgiveness.
Amanda, thank you for your beautiful devotion today. Conviction is never comfortable! But repentance brings refreshment to my soul. Anne Graham Lotz has a chapter in her book, The Daniel Prayer, on confession. She specifically mentions some sins that are often overlooked. Amanda, your devotion compelled me to go over that section of Anne’s book again. I needed a soul cleaning. Tears of guilt and shame followed by tears of gratitude and restoration. Mourning turned into dancing! Thank you.
“Christ’s death is not a legend…Christ’s death is true.” Beautifully written devotional.
Thanks for joining us today, Susie! So glad you’re here!
xoxo-Kaitlin
The verses were depressing and hard to read until that turning point, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” Jesus changes everything! I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Praise be to God!
Reading this makes me want a “do-over” with my kids, husband and those around me. I too am self absorbed and it pains me. I pray so often for my heart to turn outward and give. Thank you for these beautiful words and the reminder that God is with me especially when I am at my weakest.
Every day is a do-over for children of God. His mercies are new every morning.
Stephanie,
This is so simple, but so true. Thank you! Each day our sins are washed away and we can start a new.
Amen
‘His mercies never come to an end…they are new every morning!!’
We tend to look at the daily news and believe that what we see is somehow new but what Jennifer said is so true-these words were written long ago which means there were ugly, hateful things going on then too. Our sin, my sin, is not new and different it is the same sin God saw in the garden and knew from before creation He would have to address. He knew from before the foundation of the earth was created that His only son would have to die because I would be too broken to live upright before Him. The wonder of it all is that He loves me enough to ask His only son to die for me and that Jesus willingly left His glory to pay my debt. Thank you Jesus!
We don’t take the time to consider the depth of His sacrifice for us through self examination of our own hearts. Thanks for a great reminder this morning.
May I never lose the wonder of Your mercy. All praise and glory to Him, who so completely redeemed us from the slavery of sin!
Yes!
This really hit home for me… I’m an introvert big time and on top of that I self-protect by being defensive. God has shown me that I consume people and things around me, I’m a consumer not a giver. I wish I could say that when this revelation hit me that I wept and have tried to not live like that, but I didn’t… “I hate that I don’t hate it” sums up my behavior in life. this is what I wrote in my journal the other morning after reading yesterday’s post on here.
“To not be defensive is to be left exposed… To give others permission to measure your worth in their eyes and not snuggle against it. to be vulnerable, to be exposed I must come to peace with my own flaws and short comings, I must except that I’m broken and always will be this side of heaven. I must except this with humility allowing it to draw me to the cross and I must not try to hide it. I must also believe in who God says I am and who I am as His daughter. so when I am measured and judged by others I may remain exposed and vulnerable all the while resting in God’s truth of myself. so I may not be defined by others words or opinions.”
Loved your journal entry. I could really related
The last part about believing in who God says I am and not being defined by others words or opinions was so spot on for me in this season of my life. Thanks for sharing this from your journal, Katie.
Katie this is so beautiful and a raw reflection of your heart! I can relate to so much of it! Hugs and prayers!
I saw today’s reading from 2 views. as I read the scripture my heart was heavy as I thought of our nation and our world. the disention, racism, hatred, immortality. the list could go on. but I’m reminded this is not a new problem. the words I read were penned thousands of years ago and still hold true. as does the promise that who can be against me when Christ is for me. He does turn mourning into dancing. and the other view Amanda wrote beautifully to bring it to a personal level and every word rung true
thank you Jennifer for sharing and for bringing up a topic that can be so hard to say out loud. I’m praying that we as Christians are not ruled by fear but rather we call to God saying “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. where there is hatred, let me sow love. where there is injury, pardon….”
Needed this! Thank you! Beautiful words.
It’s sobering to remember that we cannot escape from or atone for our sin with our own efforts. I’ve found that sin lurks in my heart even during the moments when I’m convicted and humbled – after allowing myself to feel the pain of conviction, I soon find myself feeling proud of the fact that I’ve recognized or responded to my sin. I’ll even go so far as to think that I’m better than others because I see how bad I am! All the while I fail to notice that I’m soaking in pride.
It is only by God’s grace that I am anything at all. I have no right to pride myself in recognizing my sin or feeling convicted. He was the one who opened my eyes and called me out, and He is the one who continues to speak to me and call me back to Him when I wander away so soon after my brief moments of humility. Any trace of goodness in me is because of Him, and no matter how much I may think I know the depth of my sins, I’m really only scratching the surface.
Thankfully, just as we can’t escape our sin, we can’t escape His grace either. He is always calling us into His arms. He pursues, redeems, and forgives, whether our sin is more the “running away” type or more the “failing to recognize that the only reason we’re not currently running away is because of His grace” type. How wonderful this is!
“We can’t escape His grace either”…….I loved this!!! Amen!!
omgosh Jess. this absolutely hits home with me as well. thank you for sharing your heart and the reminder that it is the Holy Spirit who even allows me to recognize my sin and it is only because of His grace and kindness that I can repent and not run away.
” Any trace of goodness in me is because of Him, and no matter how much I may think I know the depth of my sins, I’m really only scratching the surface. Thankfully, just as we can’t escape our sin, we can’t escape His grace either.”
<3
Thank you for your words of wisdom!! Amen!
Thank you for your honesty in sharing. This is so helpful. I think it can be tempting sometimes to gloss over the message about sin to get to the redemption- to avoid properly thinking about sin because it is uncomfortable. I think I often fail to appreciate its seriousness. But the more we understand just how bad the problem of sin is, the more we understand how wonderful the redemption is and really appreciate all that Jesus has done and that it is purely because of grace.
I’m right there with you with the discomfort. I’d so much rather avoid those feelings altogether. But wow, when the Holy Spirit grants me a glimpse of my sin, the pain it causes makes the rush of grace all the sweeter. Thanks for your comment, Carly. xo, Amanda
That was so beautifully written. Thank you for your honesty. I think that my “favorite sin” is my lack of self-control. I tend to be very defensive to the point where I shout and say things that hurt others. But I still often think to myself “If I don’t react like this, nothing will change”. I’m working on it and praying for it, but it is difficult.
self control is what I wrote in my lament today! what I struggle with is I talk to my children about self control but then I turn around and blow it myself. we’ll get this. praying for you.
‘He suffered, not because God the Father is cruel, but because my sin was heinous and merited punishment. He bled, not because He was weak but because I am. He died, not because they executed Him, but because a sacrifice was required. ‘ wow! What a powerful way to put it, I pray I remember this when I’m tempted to sin. I recognise myself so much in the devotional today. Tomorrow I’m going on our family holiday, the perfect time to through away self absorption and spend time, quality time, with those dearest to me.
I loved this as well
This excerpt “putting my need for space and silence above their need for love and listening” really hit my heart. It has inspired me to be better when it comes to the needs of my babies, especially when I’m feeling overwhelmed, over-touched, or just plain worn out.
I’m so grateful God led me to this devotional after prayers to find one that would speak to me.
I’m right there with you. I tend to do the same thing with my DD
Yes, this is the line that I felt the ugh in my stomach over, too. Lord, grant me greater capacity to meet the needs of those who need me today. Please let this be in your strength and power today, not my own.