Abby McDonald

Finding the Hope of Christ in a Messy Life

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4 Truths to Hold Onto When You Think You've Let God Down

March 24, 2016 by Abby McDonald

when you think you've let God down


One weekday morning several months ago, I woke up to a familiar tune. In my grogginess I realized my husband had personalized the alarm on my phone.

He can be sweet that way sometimes. He knew the words of Tenth Avenue North’s By Your Side held a reminder I desperately needed. A reminder that his grace covers me, that I don’t need to strive to attain his love.

I’d fallen into the old, familiar habit of running again and the lyrics of the song washed over me like raindrops on arid soil.

Why are you striving these days

Why are you trying to earn grace

To where will you go, child,

Tell me where will you run

Where will you run?

We have a tendency to run from what we don’t understand, don’t we? We can’t comprehend how God could love us despite all of the mistakes we’ve made and the times we’ve messed it all up, so we fight it.

We struggle against his grace when all He wants to do is wrap us in it. (Tweet that)

I tend to fight Him most when I feel as though I’ve let someone down. My people pleasing tendencies lead me to believe I have to be everything to everyone, and when I can’t, I assume God must be unhappy too.

Right? I mean, surely. It makes perfect sense. Um no, and therein lies the problem. Because God’s grace doesn’t make sense.

God doesn’t expect us to please every single person in our life. He simply wants us to abide in his love.

When we quit striving to understand his grace, we can finally accept it. (Tweet that)

We can lift our hands and simply say, “Thank you. Thank you for covering me even though I don’t deserve it.”

Today, let’s not forget that faith, by definition, means trusting what we don’t fully understand. It means putting our hope in what we don’t see, but will one day behold completely.

4 truths when you think you've let God down

Here are four truths to hold onto when you think you’ve let God down:

  1. God’s approval has nothing to do with the approval of others. (Tweet that)

Others may turn their backs on you, walk away, or gossip. Do you know who endured similar ridicule and abandonment? Jesus. Paul says it best in Galatians:

“If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10 NIV

  1. God’s approval has nothing to do with your good works.

He paid the price on Calvary. Do you think he would have endured the nails if there was something you could do to pay your own way? The good works we do are works He planned. (Ephesians 2:10) His Spirit empowers us, not our own strength.

  1. God’s not going to let you go. He’s placed his seal on you, and his seal is eternal.

Once you accepted Him, he placed his Spirit with in you. That’s his seal, friend. (2 Corinthians 1:21) It’s a deposit guaranteeing when Jesus Christ appears, he will look at you and say, “She’s mine.” You can grieve Him, but God will always go after his wandering sheep.

  1. God doesn’t look at your past sin.

Once we confess it, he remembers it no more. (Psalm 103:12) Not because he can’t, but he chooses not to. He gives you a fresh slate, made clean by the blood of his precious son. So why do we continue to dwell on sin he’s already forgiven?

Friends, when we soak in the truth of God’s love, it changes us. It strengthens us to stand firm against the lies we hear every day and the attacks of the one who wants to defeat us.

Let his grace permeate your defenses today. And when it does, thank Him for the victory we have in Him alone.

 

Linking up with these communities: #LiveFreeThursday, Grace & Truth 

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Filed Under: discouragement Tagged With: faith, God's love, grace

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Comments

  1. Betty Cooper says

    March 24, 2016 at 8:30 am

    Thank you. I needed to hear that this morning. You covered all the details I needed to hear.

    • Abby says

      March 24, 2016 at 8:57 am

      So blessed to hear that, Betty. Thank you. Praying you have a wonderful Easter.

  2. Trudy Den Hoed says

    March 24, 2016 at 1:14 pm

    I love these Truths, Abby. Thank you so much for encouraging my heart today. What a sweet thing for your husband to do. 🙂 I love that song, too. Have a joy-filled Easter!

    • Abby says

      March 25, 2016 at 9:41 am

      Yes, I am blessed to have him. 🙂 Thank you Trudy and I hope you have a wonderful Easter as well.

  3. Bev Duncan @ Walking Well With God says

    March 24, 2016 at 3:19 pm

    Abby,
    I love the lyrics of that song, probably because I live them and do have to ask myself, “Why am I striving so much?” Learning and trusting that there is not a way possible that I could disappoint God, has been a lifelong learning lesson. Trusting when I can’t see what lies ahead, presents a whole new set of challenges. I keep trying to remember that God is constant and steady. His love and grace are constant and steady…He is not fickle like I am…praise for that!!
    Blessings and a joyous Easter,
    Bev xx

    • Abby says

      March 24, 2016 at 4:52 pm

      I agree, Bev. It is a lifelong lesson and one we have to learn continually. So thankful for you, friend. Have a beautiful Easter.

  4. Dana H. says

    March 24, 2016 at 4:51 pm

    Thank you for a wonderful post on grace. So timely for me this week as I think about what Easter really means. #LivefreeThursday

    • Abby says

      March 25, 2016 at 9:42 am

      I’m so glad to hear it reached you at the right time, Dana. Hope you have a wonderful Easter. Thanks for stopping by!

  5. Lori Schumaker of Seaching for Moments says

    March 24, 2016 at 4:57 pm

    Abby,
    This is such a touching story. I love that song by 10th Avenue North and I love that your husband did such a sweet act of love! Your four points are so so SO good. My favorite is #3 -“God’s not going to let you go. He’s placed his seal on you, and his seal is eternal.”
    There was a season in my growth as my daughter’s Mama that I repeated that to myself over and over and over again. The kind of mother I needed to be for her was not natural to me. It felt different or even wrong and would really deplete me. Then I would have those moments where I ached for the thoughts or feelings I had or for when I would have moments of losing my temper. I would claim my heart as sealed by Him and no one else. It reminded me of His unfailing love, as well as protect me from the enemy. With God’s seal, the enemy had no way to grab a foothold in me!
    Thanks so much, sweet friend! I was so blessed by this!

    • Abby says

      March 25, 2016 at 9:43 am

      Thank you for your sweet encouragement and for sharing some of your story, Lori. Praying you have a joyous Easter. Always blessed to hear from you!

  6. forrealfridaymom says

    March 25, 2016 at 10:59 pm

    “I tend to fight Him most when I feel as though I’ve let someone down. My people pleasing tendencies lead me to believe I have to be everything to everyone, and when I can’t, I assume God must be unhappy too.”
    What a realization for me. Thank you for sharing your heart.

Hi! I'm Abby and I'm so glad you're here. I am a wife and a mom of two very energetic boys and one sweet baby girl. When I'm not chasing them around I love to write about my love for a God who relentlessly pursued me, even during my darkest times. READ MORE...

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