Don't turn your head in shame

Much of the time, I challenge us all in our individual and family life. I know that this is good for us as Christians, to be reminded and encouraged. Lately, however, the pain in people's lives has come to my attention. More and more calls have been coming in to meet for counsel. The hurt individuals are experiencing grieves my heart. I have cried with, prayed for, and thought of these people often.

Sometimes circumstances and pain bring with them the inability to think clearly, to do the right thing. When we as Christians find ourselves in moments like these, we can cling to guilt. It can consume us, and make it difficult to even believe God still cares for us. If we sin during these seasons to fill a void or because we are unable to cope, we find ourselves feeling even farther from God. We may isolate ourselves from Him or others we love.

I want to encourage anyone going through such a time. This is your humanness. No Christian or any other person is perfect. We may, through Christ and because of our relationship with Him, be able to make good decisions more often than not.

I know my relationship with Christ did turn my life around 18 years ago. Many bad habits and some immoral behavior absolutely changed because of my new relationship with Christ. But as life goes on, others sin against us, we deal with real problems, fatigue, stress, depression, and the like. We will indeed find ourselves in times where we feel far from God for a moment or a season. It is this I want to address.

Dear children of God, do not allow such times to cause you to turn you head in shame away from your Savior, even if you are confused, feel you have let him down, or are delving into sin. Jesus came to save and redeem. It is not by our works. Talk honestly to Him. Cling to the hem of his robe and tell him, "I cannot do this alone." Ask for his mercy (not getting what we deserve) and his grace (getting what we do not deserve); for He never stops loving us.

He lived on this earth ? fully man and fully God. He has felt much of what we feel. Ask Him to walk you through. You may not feel as close to Him at the moment, you may not be able to serve Him actively, but he indeed is still there, loving you deeply. And He does understand.

Lamentations ? oh, what an appropriate name for this book ? tell us, "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of God's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (Lam. 3:22-23, Holy Bible, New International Version).

It goes on to read, "The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord" (Lamentations 3:25-26). Your hope may be weak, your ability to seek feeble, but nonetheless, mumble a frail prayer and grab his garment. He will pull you through the other side.