About His grace and love. This last weekend I messed up. Treated my husband terribly (I'll spare you the details). Fact is, it took a while for my pride to simmer down, and conviction to settle in. And even though I later apologized, I still felt so guilty for my thoughtlessness and lack of love. I blew it! Not that this is my first faux paux ever (ha!), but just the fact that I did it again. When will I ever learn? In fact, even when I went to bed, the guilt weighed me down.
Next morning, I opened up my Bible to study John 13. After reading God's words and answering some probing Bible study questions, I went before Jesus with my heavy heart. Strangely, the story of Judas betraying Jesus struck home.
I realized that remorse and regret are wishing I wouldn't have sinned, wishing I could change my actions and words. But we all know we can't change the past. So it's a rather hopeless and shame-filled kind of sorrow.
However, repentance is not just saying, "I'm sorry", it's saying, "I'm through!" And right then and there, I barred my heart before the Lord, very ashamed of my sin, but rose from my bed a forgiven woman, determined to follow Jesus' way. Sure, it's likely I'll mess up again, but thank the Lord, He has power over sin...and we are prisoners under its shackles no longer!
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