Swipe Left on This Guy

 

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"The next time Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future." ~unknown

⚜ Ever wake up feeling so incredibly awesome, like we can conquer the world, finally clean that one room, get to that card we need to send, make time for coffee with that friend, take that walk, and still make that recipe we've been dying to try for our family?  

⚜ Then the day gets by us and our energy is starting to waver, we had too many cookies, lashed out or disagreed with someone and said things we didn't mean to say, ignored someone's text/call because we weren't invited to that thing, then just escaped by watching another episode of our TV show? 

⚜ What follows? Guilt. Shame. Remorse. Sadness.  All schemes of the devil so that we feel defeated, discouraged, lonely, useless and hopeless.  

⚜ Our shoulders slouch, we hate our hair, we tell ourselves we're fat and out of shape, we're too tired to care or change, no one understands, or it's just something we're no good at.  We think the Lord can't use us because of the things we've said or done.

All lies.  Flaming arrows of the devil meant to hold us down and keep us spiraling in that sinkhole of self pity & despair; keep us from being effective for the Kingdom.  He loves when we are our own worst enemy.  But he's really the enemy. 

 Like the guy who says he has oceanfront property in Arizona, we are going to swipe left and not even engage in interaction with the father of lies.  Stop it before it starts.

How?  

⚜ Go straight to our armor, put it on.  Kneel & ask for forgiveness. Then receive it.

He wants to forgive us.

"He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He has removed our transgressions from us."  Psalm 103:10-12

He promises to forgive us & to cleanse us.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

He does not condemn us.

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Rom 8:1

He continues to use us, even though we are weak. 

"But He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness."  2 Cor 12:9

He wants us to restore our relationships if we have sinned.

"Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." James 5:16

⚜ If it is our glory we are seeking, then we should have shame, anger and guilt.  But we are here for His glory and because of what He has done - He uses the flawed, the broken and the weak.  

So do not let that sin in our past keep us down.  Rise up and receive Him wrapping His loving arms around us.  Then share our gratitude with someone so they'll know. 

⚜ We are His bride.

✙ Heavenly Father, we thank You for how Your mercies towards us never end, how far Your forgiveness stretches towards us, and how deep Your love is for us.  We can be embraced by You no matter what we've done.  Thank You for not giving up on us, and still count us worthy to be used by You.  Amen.