Daylight savings time is about to end. It is the time of year that we set the clocks back one hour and enjoy an extra, glorious hour of sleep. Well, maybe. Okay who am I kidding – it completely depends on if you have kids or not, right? So, we can say that fall at least has the hope of an extra hour of sleep. We won’t mention what we potentially lose in the spring.
As I was pondering this time of year, the Lord reminded me that falling back is the opposite of what we are called to do. Now I know we should obey the time change. I can’t imagine the scheduling nightmare we would have if we didn’t. (COVID schedule changes are bad enough.) I can’t imagine trying to schedule an appointment if I chose not to switch with 49 of the US states!! Can I get an amen?? But that is not what I am talking about.
Always a Mistake
How many times in our life do we hit a roadblock or a hiccup in the road and we fall back into our old habits? We revert back to the way we “always” handle pressure or offense? We respond defensively or argumentatively. Or maybe we run to the hills and hide. We fight, flee, or freeze. Then it never fails, we have an overwhelming sense of guilt and shame come over us. We label ourselves as “never enough” or “always a mistake”. Then we beat ourselves up and convince ourselves that we will never change and it will always be like this. We continue this line of thinking and throw out all the healing and progress we have made. We place ourselves back at the starting line. Maybe even disqualify ourselves from the game. Have you been there or done that? I know I have.
Always Learning
Our church had a Girl Time Service recently and Pastor Mary talked about Hebrew 10:14
“For by that one offering (Jesus on the cross) he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.”
Mary pointed out that this sentence has two different verb tenses. Don’t tell your English teacher! The first is past tense. “He forever MADE perfect.” It is already finished. When Jesus died on the cross and we accepted Him has Lord of our life, our salvation was secured. Our payment for eternity was paid in full. It is done!
The second is present and future tense. We ARE BEING made holy. This is currently happening and will continue to happen until Christ returns. While our salvation is secure, we will continue on the path of learning what it means to become like Christ. To fully walk in our God-given identity and purpose. Will we always get it right? Of course not, that isn’t expected. I love the quote one of my girl’s friends sent her on a particularly bad day. F.A.I.L. stands for First Attempt In Learning. That’s quite the perspective change. Failing doesn’t mean we have to fall back, and we don’t have to start back at ground zero.
Take a Stand!
In Philippians 3:12-16 it says,
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing. Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.
Don’t allow Satan to steal your progress!! He has no right to take back the ground you have already taken. Arm yourself for battle against the one who “has come to steal and kill and destroy.” (John 10:10)
We can not allow a mistake or a setback to stop us from pursuing God and becoming more like Him. Forgiveness is a gift that God freely extends. When we make a mistake, stop and ask God to forgive you. Ask the people around you who were affected to forgive you. Then move on. Hold on to the amazing promise that you ARE forgiven and it is DONE!
Don’t let your past paralyze you from becoming who God wants you to be today and in the future. While we might waver, we must commit to holding onto the truths God has spoken over us. We might see or hear things differently, but we must hold on to the promises God says in His Word. When we “fail” we must remember that God sees us as righteous. We need to look at this event as another opportunity for learning and growing. Don’t believe the lie that you have not made progress or you are not changing. You are! By accepting the grace of God, you can let go of the condemnation and guilt that Satan is using to try to weigh you down. Then you can continue on the path of true freedom and walk in the full, God-given identity He gave you in the beginning.
“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.” Ephesians 6:13
Other verses:
2 Cor 5:14-21 //1 Cor 6:11// Isaiah 53 (This chapter is talking about what Christ did for us on the cross)// Isaiah 54:17//Colossians 2:6-15//Colossians 3:1-17//Philippians 1:6, 9-11
To watch Pastor Mary Sprague’s Girl Time Message Click HERE
