A New Beginning
“In him (Christ) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”
(Ephesians 1:7,8)
I met Maria in a nursing home, bent with age, and troubled with guilt. As a young mother, her darling baby had choked to death in a freak accident. But Maria blamed herself for the baby’s death even though we tried to reassure her that it wasn’t her fault.
As parents often do, Maria, labored under unrealistic expectations: I ought to be able to prevent all harm from coming to my children. Because harm had come to her child, Maria saw herself as a colossal failure. Again and again, she told her heart – rending story. Her remorse spilled over onto any of the nursing staff who would listen to her.
What about you? Are you stuck in a failure in the past? In Christ you have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. Redemption is the price paid for a slave to be set free. Because Christ has paid the price with his death on the Cross, you need no longer be chained to the past.
What if the unfortunate incident is caused by our own neglect or wrongdoing? Should we not be made to suffer for it? Like we sometimes hear, “You’ve made your bed, now lie in it.”
That’s how the world looks at blame. But in Christ we have forgiveness of sins. God forgives us not grudgingly but according to the riches of His grace. Yes, we may have to suffer the consequences of our actions, but we can be free of the guilt.
How? Perhaps like me, you will find it helpful to write out the incident which troubles you Then across the page, write in bold letters, IN CHRIST, NOT GUILTY. FORGIVEN.
~Dear God, I have sinned against you. Forgive me for this wrongdoing (name it). Wash me clean and set me free from its hold upon me. Thank you that in Christ, I have a new beginning.
Related Links:
If Only I Had … Or Hadn’t:
http://www.christianwomentoday.com/growth/regrets.html
About the Author
This article was written by Helen Lescheid. You can read more about this author by clicking this link:
http://www.talk.thelife.com/helen-lescheid/
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