“Do you really think you’re perfect?” The preacher asked.
Some people act like they’re perfect. Or our faulty memory thinks our loved ones are or were perfect.
I recently read a facebook post by a friend who was told by a fellow Christian that he rarely sinned. He opined that he was not a sinner, but a saint. Actually, as my friend observed we can be both sinners and saints at the same time. Saints can and do sin.
As Christians we are not perfect, but we are pardoned. We’re not sinless, but we’re sanctified. We’re not faultless, but we’re forgiven. We learn that our failures don’t have to be final or fatal.
I might be well to remember that some of God’s greatest heroes failed. Some miserably.
Yet, they didn’t quit. They didn’t allow failure to define them, discourage them or defeat them. Their failures were forgiven. And they pressed on toward the prize. That’s what we must do.
We must be willing to admit our failures. Confess our shortcomings. And repent of our sins. We are a work in progress. Ever striving to be conformed to Christ instead of our culture (Rom. 8:29; 12:1-2).
The late and legendary basketball coach John Wooden reminds us, “Failure isn’t fatal, but failure to change might be.” Or as the great British statesman, Winston Churchill observed, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” The Christian life is about change. Growth. And persistence.
Like the apostle Peter, we can begin again. We can put together the broken pieces. Refocus our eyes on Jesus. And even with our past flaws be restored to faithful service. Let us pray as David did: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit” (Ps 51:12).
There is hope. There is help. There is healing.
There is a forgiving and gracious God.
Ken, thanks for this. I’m sure I needed it more than anyone else this morning….