Have you ever messed up? Like...really blew it?

I have great news for you: No matter what you’ve done, who you’ve disappointed or hurt - Jesus is eager to forgive you. Not only that, but He wants to help you live out your purpose in life.

The Bible is full of people who majorly messed up, but God still helped them do amazing things in life. Even if you don’t know anything about the Bible, you’ve maybe heard of some of these people:

David (from “David and Goliath” fame): Had an affair and had the husband killed

Moses (who said to the Pharaoh, “Let my people go”): Commited murder

Noah (Yes, the Noah with the Ark): Got drunk

Paul (who wrote most of the New Testament): Arrested Christians and had them killed

Even if you think you’ve messed up beyond repair, God can still do incredible things through you. There is still a purpose for your life!

When You Sin, Turn TO God - Not Away From Him

God is not surprised when you sin. He’s not intimidated by your mistakes. In fact, He wants to be with you and walk alongside you when you’ve sinned.

In the Bible, there’s a story to describe God called “The Prodigal Son.” In the story, a son asks his father for his inheritance and blows it on a wild lifestyle. When the son loses everything, he comes back to his father’s house. His father sees his son approaching and starts running toward his son and restores his son’s place in the family.

When you turn to God after you sin, God runs to you. He doesn’t reject you. He’s not annoyed and He doesn’t run out of forgiveness.

When you mess up, the safest place to run is to God. Don’t run away from Him.

When You Sin, Know That God Will Advocate for You

What does the Bible say that Jesus does when we sin?

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. -1 John 2:1

The word “advocate” means “to support” or “to plead for.” When we mess up, God is making a case for you. He is championing your cause!

This is the amazing thing about Jesus. He takes our sin upon Himself and gives us His forgiveness - every time!

When You Sin, Remember Who You Are

God does not define you by your biggest mistake. In fact, the Bible says He doesn’t even remember your biggest mistake!

So, you shouldn’t let your sin define you, either. There’s a difference between your behavior and your identity.

You are chosen, forgiven, pure, and loved. You're a child of God. God created you on purpose and for a purpose. You have the hope of spending eternity in heaven.

Our identity cannot be changed by what we do.

Related Post: You Are Valuable to God

When You Sin, Change Your Mind & Move On

Open your heart up to God. Talk to Him about your sin, ask for forgiveness, and ask Him to help you.

Ask God to show you how to change your mind about whatever thoughts, habits, or feelings led you to sin. There may be some activities, people, or circumstances that you need to avoid in order to resist temptation in the future. Open your life fully to God’s help because He wants the very best for you.

Life with God is an adventure - there will be times when you fall down. But, don’t get stuck. Keep going. God is there to help you!

Related Post: What is God's Will for My Life?

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