PICKED UP, DUSTED OFF, READY TO GO

Do you ever feel like the things God asks of us are impossible? Do you sometimes feel like a failure as a Christian because you know in your heart you aren't measuring up to what the Bible teaches us Christians ought to be like? Are you struggling with to master the things Jesus commands, things like:

• do not worry
• love your enemies
• forgive those who wrong you
• store up your treasure in heaven
• love God with everything within you
• love your neighbour as yourself

This is just part of the long list of qualities we should exhibit, and feelings we should have, and actions we should take. I don't know about you, but I can despair sometimes when I realize what a long way I am from where God wants me to be.

Then there is the list of inner qualities I should be exhibiting. In Galatians 5 Paul lists what he calls the fruits of the spirit. "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." When you look at that list do you shake your head knowing you have a long way to go? I suspect we all feel like that. In fact just when we think we are making progress something can come along, and in the aftermath we look back and say "Wow, I can't believe I responded that way. I thought I had grown in God more than that."

Thankfully, God is a gracious God who understands we are a work in progress. Our transformation into the people God wants us to be is a process, and we all find ourselves somewhere on the spectrum between where we once were and where we want to be. God understands that. He made us.

Remember when Jesus told Peter that over the next few hours Peter would deny Him three times.  Peter was shocked and offended.  It will never happen, he said.  But sure enough, when the pressure was on Peter learned that He still had a long way to go in growing into the person Jesus wanted Him to be.

The really important part of this story comes later, after Jesus' resurrection. Peter was obviously confused over what the future held, and still beating himself up inside for his failure to stand by Jesus when it really counted. "I'm going fishing", he said. In the time of questions and uncertainty and self-doubt he reverted back to what he knew. He was surprised when he got back to shore with a huge catch of fish to find the risen Jesus there ready to make breakfast. You can read this story in John 21, and most importantly the conversation that followed between Jesus and Peter. Jesus had no intention of condemning Peter, or even allowing him to go on wallowing in his guilt and confusion.  Rather than beat Peter up over his failure, Jesus was there to show forgiveness and understanding, to set Peter back on his feet and help him understand that this wasn't the end.  It was a learning time, a restoration time, a time to get up out of the ashes and move on.

I'm not suggesting that God condones or is simply okay with our failures in becoming the people He wants us to be.  What I am saying is that though He is saddened by our failures, it is our heart that matters most.  Are we repentant over our failures? Do we have a sincere desire in our heart to progress into the people God wants us to be? Then God is ready to compassionately pick us up, dust off our skinned knees, and set us back on the path of growth.  

There is never a need for us to harbour guilt in our hearts. The only productive use of guilt is that it tells us we haven't yet made it right with God.  It is the signal that we we need to come to God, acknowledging our weakness and our need and our desire to become more like Jesus.  It's then we find that "there is no condemnation for those who are Christ Jesus."

Does this mean we shouldn't be concerned at all if we aren't progressing, growing into what God wants us to be?  Let's talk about that next week.