Are we Good or are we Bad? That’s awfully black or white, definitive you might say. It can be a very hard question. I know it has been for me. Growing up was a lesson in how “bad” I was. Everything was my fault and/or I deserved punishment. It was a matter of unrealistic goals placed on me by my caregivers, ie. parents. Maybe you too were punished for things you did not deserve. Therefore when it comes to relationship with God, you have been lied to about that too. The Bible, God’s Holy Word, in various ways, presents us, not with punishment, but with Grace and Love. Why don’t we get it? Could it be that it’s because we are screwed up about what Grace and Love are?
Grace equals unmerited favor. Kindness. It’s funny to me that the motto during the covid mess was “Be The Kind”. Right. Everyone is/was losing their minds, consumed with anger, disappointment and rage. Do you ever think of God as being really Kind? Left to our own devices we would never have the time of day for God, yet He is the One who keeps earths star pumping out Light. That’s grace. We don’t do anything to purchase that daily dose of sunlight. Metaphorically our world revolves around light as in spiritually our life must revolve around the light of the world. Jesus. The son of God. ( Now I will never tell you to understand God, but I’ll always tell you, You absolutely can trust Him.)
Jesus Is the Light of the World
Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.
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And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
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God saw that the light was good (pleasing, useful) and He affirmed and sustained it; and God separated the light [distinguishing it] from the darkness.
- the outcome of resolving the great cognitive dissonance is to “agree with God” that we don’t keep moral laws, not 100%, and we tend to ignore our creator Then there’s the blatant fact that we willingly participate in wrong doing. If you didn’t realize you act often out of selfishness, pause and think about that.
- Here’s our problem:Everyone needs Self-Esteem, but when we shun a RELATIONSHIP with God a part of us is dormant. Our self worth then has unrealized potential. A flower bud is attractive but when it blooms it is Fantastic. Picture that lily in the yard it’s ok to look at during the budding stage but when it blossoms it is fragrant with Life and Beauty. In relationship with Christ we acquire a self-esteem that is beyond ourselves.
- We shine from the inside out. The conundrum is this. We are made in His image, yet we have faults, sins, but God calls us righteous in Christ.
- We don’t want to think we do anything against God. The abused mind feels shame and guilt, about everything. We have an over abundance of guilt. It’s that part that Jesus wants to heal. He tenderly looks at the damaged child and longs to bring peace. He was hated wrongly. He was embarrassed publicly. (Once my father {biological} asked me where my mother was. I said inside the market at the checkout lane. He misunderstood me, thought I said she was in the car. So he pulled his arm back and walloped me across the face right out there in front of the world. Ugh. I was shamed and punished for something I didn’t do. So it has been very hard for me to accept Gods’ righteousness imparted to me. We who have been blamed for the worlds problems, have a very hard time understanding the parts we are responsible for. We need His total support. HE VALUES US. His light shines brightly out of Darkness. Like the Army says “Be All That You can Be: Join God’s Army”.
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Romans 3:23When you simply understand the Plan, it doesn’t negate your value it elevates it, God is your completer. He even pictures it for us in New “birth”.John 3:7 NIV 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[a] must be born again.’Born from above. A new person. Our “complete” value resides in that new birth. The heart of the matter is that our soul actually craves the beautifying love of God. He is the air that fills our balloon and lifts us to untold heights! Let God’s Love light your path and He will solve your Great Conundrum!
