Is it possible that if we (Christians) truly understood our position and standing before God a lot of our depression and mental illnesses would disappear? Romans 8:1 it says "there is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.” If we are made whole by the blood of Jesus, we are no longer under condemnation. But how many of us live like we're not under condemnation?
How often do you say, "Self, that was stupid?"
Who's doing the condemning?
Not God, because He says there is now no condemnation. Who has the right to condemn us? The ONLY one who has that right is God. And we've already established that He doesn't do it!
Ken and I were discussing this recently - our conclusion is that we often confuse conviction over unrepentant sin with condemnation from God.
Here's the thing - we need to realize who we are. Really - not just the words. I mean, you and I both know we're God's children, and He loves us. We know that He knows each hair on our heads, each tear that falls, etc. But think about this...Revelation 4:11 says that God created us for His pleasure. He is pleased to have us!! In the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve disobeyed, it says God came to walk with them in the Garden. Personally - He was going to take a stroll and chat with His people. Did He already know they had disobeyed, or was He surprised when He got there and they were hiding?
He knew.
And yet, in Gen. 3:8, it says they heard Him walking in the garden. He came anyway! He KNEW they had sinned - done the ONLY thing He said not to do, and He came to walk with them ANYWAY!! God WANTS to walk with us. He's pleased with us, and wants to walk along side us. The almighty God of the universe WANTS to be our best friend.
I've been completely overwhelmed by the thought that THE GOD wants to walk with me. Not in the figurative, surreal, "Christian walk" sort of way... He wants to stroll down the sidewalk swinging hands with me! I'm so excited about this at the moment I just want to jump up and down. lol.
We - humans and especially women - get so down on ourselves, and we forget to see ourselves the way God sees us. We do make mistakes, and we sin, but He's already covered that, and He doesn't dwell on that. He sees how beautiful and wonderful we are. He sees the person He wants to share great things with.
