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Typical sequence of events when we make mistakes:
We mess up or do something wrong.
Become upset or sad.
Blame others.
Blame God.
Blame ourselves.
Move on.
Have bad memories, looking back.
When we move toward a more Godly approach:
Something bad happens.
Bad feelings start to surface.
Pray.
Bad feelings are pushed away and replaced.
We give thanks to God for the “bad event.”
His hand in our lives is clear and comforting.
We experience peace.
We move forward and grow.
That weak area in our lives is being healed by Jesus.
We’re becoming a “new person.”
We look back and are thankful that it happened.
Time to change our perspective…
Not sure how clear that was, but I’ve personally been struggling with certain areas of sin. Areas in which I am weak. I messed up the other day and felt horrible. Guilt and anger resided. I felt hopeless, even though it’s “not a big deal.” Even the small things in this world can hold us bondage. Its frustrating. I was angry with God and prayed He would make it clear what was going on–why I can’t get past this part of my life.
This morning I opened up the new ADRA magazine and saw an article about Revival and Reformation. It talks about the Sanitarium being burnt down. Some wanted to build one even bigger, while others did not.
About this, Ellen White said, “Trials come to us all to lead us to investigate our hearts, to see if they are purified from all that defiles. Constantly the Lord is working for our present and eternal good. Things occur which seem unexplainable, but if we trust in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him, humbling our hearts before Him, He will not permit the enemy to triumph…The lord seeks to educate His people to lean wholly upon Him. He desires them, through the lessons that He teaches them, to become more and more spiritualized.”
Satan’s goal is to take our mess-ups, make us guilt-ridden, force us to give up and become separated from Christ.
God’s goal is to take our mess-ups, show us our weakness and help us give that to Him–so we grow and become closer to Him in our hearts and actions.
That’s why in James 1:2 it says, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.”
God wants to rebuild our hearts. He’s the architect of the soul.
