EN(dur)ANCE by Robin Gudal

 

Have you ever fallen?

I fall, I have muscle issues in my legs and arms, so I fall and drop (break) things.

I have cracked my glasses (walls do that), twisted an ankle, broken two vertebrates and then another one again, gotten bruises, been sore for days and frustrated from such events.

One child once declared, “Ops! I dropped myself” in such a situation.

We often have external wounds when such situations occur. What about internal wounds?

Have you ever dropped yourself spiritually?

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 English Standard Version (ESV)

We all have. It is frustrating, disappointing and sad; if we are wise it becomes a time for self-examination. It is a time for humbling ourselves. Sometimes we even must clean up a mess, make amends, ask forgiveness, walk out consequences with more than just God, with the humans with whom we do life. Then we need to forgive ourselves.

I was recently at a women’s conference and the speaker, Alex Seeley, shared that when her children where younger and they did wrong, she would ask them, “Do you have naughties in your heart?”

Do you ever feel like that little child? I do!

Isaiah 53: end of verses 2-6 in The Message encourages us with: “But it was our sins that did that to Him, that ripped and tore and crushed Him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through His bruises we get healed. We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost. We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong, on Him, on Him.”

Same verses in the New International Version: “But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”

Did you catch that? He took the punishment, and that made us whole and healed.

What are we to do next?

“Lord, I told you about the evil I have done. I am sorry for my sin.” Psalm 38:18 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

We confess. We do the hard work. We move forward in his victory.

In the recently released movie “Brian Banks,” a quote from the book “As a Man Thinketh” by James Allen states, “All you can control in life is how you respond.”

As you read this verse, please read it out loud, word by word, pausing after each word, read with emotion and conviction, “Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.” Psalm 105:4 (NIV)

May you find peace, victory and his strength as you walk through the journey of reducing the naughties in your heart and life today.

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NIV)

Jesus is the answer.

Robin (Beckman) Gudal, intentional in life, is a wife, momma, nana, friend, and a flawed and imperfect follower of Jesus.