"If I can be an example of getting sober, then I can be an example of starting over."- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Sometimes we fail. Sometimes we have to admit our failure and our struggles. Sometimes we must live with the consequences of our actions and it hurts. It hurts even more when we run into people who look up to us or have been following our lead for some time, especially if our failure occurred just moments before.
I had an interesting interaction with an individual this past week on vacation. I was asked a question about past activities and their impact on this individual's relationship with Christ. They kept expressing their concern about whether God can accept them, even if they kept "messing up". Then, the truth came out, the real question was: Can I really consider myself a Christian if people see me failing?
My response was balanced in scripture helping this person see that Christ had renewed them and continually does. It is not a license to sin, but it is a license to forgive ourselves for failure. We are human,which means failure is in our DNA. It was hard for this person to grasp, especially since their personality is very incentive driven.
Then, I thought of the lyrics above. And it clicked! Macklemore addresses the idea of being sober and failing just 48 hrs before meeting a fan that became sober due to his music and example. He hurt from the truth of his failure, but realized "If (he) could be an example of getting sober, then (he) could be an example of starting over." We as Christians need to realize that we can be an example of being saved and renewed. However, when we fail, we can be an example of restarting and accepting the forgiveness given to us by our Savior...every day!
His forgiveness never ends and neither does His renewal until we are with Him. We must accept His forgiveness and move forward through failure; knowing that He has already stepped ahead of us. Let us be an example of His renewal every morning and live the life He has set us free to live.
I had an interesting interaction with an individual this past week on vacation. I was asked a question about past activities and their impact on this individual's relationship with Christ. They kept expressing their concern about whether God can accept them, even if they kept "messing up". Then, the truth came out, the real question was: Can I really consider myself a Christian if people see me failing?
My response was balanced in scripture helping this person see that Christ had renewed them and continually does. It is not a license to sin, but it is a license to forgive ourselves for failure. We are human,which means failure is in our DNA. It was hard for this person to grasp, especially since their personality is very incentive driven.
Then, I thought of the lyrics above. And it clicked! Macklemore addresses the idea of being sober and failing just 48 hrs before meeting a fan that became sober due to his music and example. He hurt from the truth of his failure, but realized "If (he) could be an example of getting sober, then (he) could be an example of starting over." We as Christians need to realize that we can be an example of being saved and renewed. However, when we fail, we can be an example of restarting and accepting the forgiveness given to us by our Savior...every day!
His forgiveness never ends and neither does His renewal until we are with Him. We must accept His forgiveness and move forward through failure; knowing that He has already stepped ahead of us. Let us be an example of His renewal every morning and live the life He has set us free to live.
No comments:
Post a Comment