I warred with guilt most of my life. I just didn’t feel I measured up to an invisible standard that only I held for me. As a result I tried to compensate through excelling in everything I did and life became a 24/7 competition to prove to everyone that I was worthy.
Ironically, I was the only one who noticed because I was the only one who perceived the inadequacy.
In truth, I was struggling with what the Bible calls “condemnation”. I felt like a failure in the eyes of people and in the eyes of God. When I missed the mark of the perfection standard I set for myself it would devastate me.
Because I’ve dealt with this, it’s easy for me to spot it in others…and I see it ALL THE TIME in people I come in contact with –A mask of confidence concealing a heart of insecurity.
Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”
God is not condemning you. God is not mad at you! Christ covered EVERY inadequacy, every sin, every failure. Yet, for some reason, when it comes to guilt and condemnation, we are ok with receiving and wearing a label that God would not have us wear.
As I contemplated this today I had a very vivid internal vision of what much of the body of Christ does with condemnation.
If someone were to try to give you a handful of dog poo you would not only shriek at the idea of accepting it, but you would be highly offended at the person who tried to give you something so repulsive! It is worthless, it is germ-filled, it stinks and if it got on you, it would infect you with its nastiness!
According to Romans 8:1 There is ZERO condemnation for those in Christ Jesus! But you can receive that filth and wear that label if you choose to and it will influence your perspectives and that of those around you!
What I envisioned today was people who were completely clean in the eyes of God, willingly taking the vulgar turd of condemnation and rubbing it all over themselves as if it was naturally a part of their daily covering…and although they weren’t defined by it previously they became defined by it.
DON’T DO THAT!!!
Don’t receive that CRAP from your enemy! It is intended to infect you, to thwart your destiny and to destroy you!
You are PERFECT in the eyes of God. I know sometimes it is hard to see yourself as God sees you but as Children of God, YOU have to learn to accept that what God says trumps your thoughts and if He says it’s all good…then IT’S ALL GOOD!
So what have you been smearing yourself with that you are going to reject today?
Feel free to post any questions in the comments below. Also, if this blog connected with you, please rate it, click like or share it on your site/social networks.
Hello, Aaron. I appreciate your thoughts here, as I often find myself accepting the “vulgar turd of condemnation” (what a metaphor!) and dismissing the idea that I am clean in the eyes of God through His Son. On a more general note, I am glad you are back to regularly blogging. 🙂
I also have a blog and recently added a “Blogs I Read” section, listing the 10 most encouraging/informative blogs I’ve come across. I just wanted to let you know I put yours on there. (I don’t foresee this being an issue, but if you’d rather I take yours off that list, I will. So I guess I’m letting you know AND asking if it’s ok.) Hopefully the handful of people who stumble across my blog will find yours too, if they haven’t already.
No J, I’m honored that you would recognize my blog among your other top rated blogs. Thank you so much! And thank you for taking the time to leave such a great comment on this post. I really appreciate it!