Truth To Remind Yourself When You're Struggling With Sin
Most of my blog posts start the same - with some encouragement that the Lord so graciously puts on my heart, and this post is the same. Just a few nights ago, at the time I'm writing this, I was confessing to the Lord some heaviness I was feeling about a particular sin struggle. I felt defeated and discouraged that I have had to continue bringing my weakness to Him over and over again, but of course, He met me with so much grace. He reminded me of some really important truths that I needed to hear, and you probably need to hear too.
I've realized that we don't talk much about sin here on the blog, and I want to change that. We are all works in progress, and we all have different weaknesses and temptation. I never want to come across as if I'm perfect or never fail, because that isn't true at all. I do fail, and every single day the Lord is convicting me and challenging me in my walk. No matter how long you've had a relationship with Christ, we will continually be refined through the process of sanctification on this side of heaven, because we all struggle with an innate sin nature.
So, with that being said, if the weight of your sin is feeling heavy, I think this is what the Lord wants to remind you of right now.
God's love for you is not influenced by your action or circumstances.
It's an easy lie to believe that God will love you less if you sin or fall short, or that because things are going "wrong" in your life, He's stopped loving you, but that could not be farther from the truth. Nothing, absolutely nothing could separate you from God's love (Romans 8:38-39), not even your worst sin. This brings so much freedom, not so that we can sin more and not experience the consequences, but so that we can return to Him repentantly and be recieved with grace. God's unconditional forgiveness doesn't make me want to sin more; it makes me want to live in a way that honors Him, but that makes me feel safe even when I do struggle with sin.
Your value and identity is not found in your weakness or sin.
When we give our life to Christ, we are given a new identity, and the Bible says we are no longer under the law (Romans 6:14). When God looks at you, He doesn't see you covered in sin or shame; He sees you as holy, righteous, and pure (Colossians 1:22). Your sin doesn't make you unlovable or worthless because God has already claimed you as His child, redeemed and set free. I want you to know that while sin is part of our story, because we all struggle with our fleshly desires, it does not make up your identity. Through the blood of Jesus, you are so much more than that.
Christ's blood covers every failure and sin. Your debt has been paid.
Again, the blood of Christ has purchased for us a freedom we could never earn or achieve on our own. We no longer have to carry the weight of our failure and sin, and He paid the price that we owed for every way we have ever fallen short. Through the finished work on the cross, we are completely forgiven, and our sin doesn't have to hold us back anymore. It's easy to feel shame or heaviness over the ways that we've messed up, especially if it's a continual struggle, but we don't have to carry that weight anymore. As a child of God, He has lifted that weight from our shoulders and took it on Himself to carry that weight for us.
In your weakness, Christ's glory can shine more clearly. He wants to use and redeem the broken parts of your story.
I'm so encouraged by the fact that God can use my brokenness and weakness to allow His love and glory to shine even brighter (2 Corinthians 12:9). When I am surrendered and walking faithfully with the Lord, there isn't a single part of my life that He can't use. No part of my story is "too bad" or "too broken" for Him to use and turn it around for good. In fact, He wants to restore those parts of my life and work in them to bring healing and transformation, if I allow Him to. I'm so grateful that my mistakes aren't the end of my story, but that I can turn a page and watch how the Lord works in and through those situations.
This doesn't disqualify you from the other work He's doing in your life.
I found myself feeling like I didn't deserve the other good things that are happening in my life because of my repeated struggle with this sin. I felt disqualified. And granted, on my own strength, I am unworthy and unqualified, but Jesus declares that in Him, I am equipped for those good works. My battle with my fleshly desires doesn't mean that God can't simultaneously be doing incredible things in the other areas of my life. Sin doesn't put a stop to everything good that is happening in and around us (as long as we're in the Lord); it's an opportunity to work on being surrendered and abiding in the Lord.
Jesus is still pursuing you and still delights in you.
Jesus isn't done chasing after you. He still finds such joy in being with you and walking with you, even though we are very imperfect. I am so very grateful for that, because even when I mess up, He goes out of His way to choose and encourage me. I am so undeserving, but He brings me into the family and calls me His. And the same is true for you! Jesus will always leave the 99 to go chasing after the 1, no matter how many times we stray, because He wants to draw us closer to Himself.
Because we all have a sin nature, we will always struggle with sin on this side of heaven, but I'm so encouraged that it isn't the end of our story, nor is it our identity. The God we serve is so gracious and merciful, even when we are far from worthy, because He wants to walk in an intimate relationship with us. He desired us so much that He sent His Son to take our place on the cross, the death and punishment we deserved, so that we wouldn't have the bear the weight of our sin and the brokenness of the world anymore. Jesus rose from the grave, claiming victory for us all, and securing our spot in His family if we would accept the invitation. What good, good news my friends!
If you're feeling discouraged or defeated in your battle with sin, I'd encourage you to simply be honest with the Lord. Bring it all to Him, and watch how He speaks life and truth over you. He doesn't want you to stay in that place of defeat, but to move you into a place of freedom, conviction, and confidence in who He is.
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