What I Gave Up for Lent (And It's Not What You Think)

Jesus has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him...

Colossians 1:22

The beginning of a new school year was approaching and I had just been informed of the very challenging student whose name was on my roster. This kid's problems ran the physical and emotional and academic gamut and I was certainly not up to the task of fixing it. 

So I prayed. I walked to their desk and sat in their chair. And I prayed that God would heal it all.

By the year's end I would return to the same spot, and instead of prayers of supplication for this student's healing, I only offered prayers of thanks. Because God did it. 

God healed that child. 

Wide-eyed and in disbelief, I said aloud to the cement walls and florescent lights, "He did it." And then to God, You actually did this thing. That was BIG. An out-right miracle. Why did you do it?

And then came the answer, so simple and so clear:

Because you asked Me to, beloved.

Because I had asked Him to.

Why do I so easily forget that The God of Angel Armies is on my side? Why do I so easily forget His great love for me and His willingness to fight on my behalf?

It's because, even after all these years of this Jesus-Walk of mine, I still listen to the lies. The lies that make me feel less than and not good enough. The lies that Satan whispers in my ear:

You're not good enough for Him.

You don't do things well enough for Him.

You're not worthy to approach Him.

(Never doubt for a second I don't appreciate the irony of God's enemy saying such things about Him to me.)

I realize, even with all of my grace talk for others, I'm still trying to be good enough for God. I'm still striving for perfection and beating myself up for when (surprise!) I don't achieve it.

So with these thoughts in mind, I gave something up for Lent this year:

I'm giving up not being good enough. I'm giving up seeing God as Someone who is angry with me when I fail at perfection. 

31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

Romans 8:31-34

Maybe you need this reminder, too. The reminder that your perfection isn't needed. That God isn't mad at you. That God has chosen you for His own. Romans 8:33 declares that no one can accuse us. In fact, it says who would dare accuse us? Do we realize this includes our own selves? 

I'm so tired of accusing myself before my Father. Because when I accuse myself I'm saying that I believe the blood price Jesus paid on the cross isn't good enough. 

Instead, when I approach His throne, I will stand on Colossians 1:22. I will remind myself that Jesus paid for my imperfections and that when I stand before my Father He sees me as holy and blameless. Holy and blameless, y'all. Not no-good and not-good-enough. To Him, cloaked in the righteousness of Jesus, I am worthy. 

We would do well to remember who we are, dear ones. We are the beloved daughters of God, who hears us and keeps us and adores us. Listen to me as I claim these truths over you:

Dear One, God is for you, not against you. He didn't spare His own Son's life for you, so He will not spare any other good thing when it comes to you. No one can accuse you before God because He has made you His own. You have right standing with Him. No one can condemn you. Because Jesus Christ died for you and was raised back to life for you. In this very moment He sits at God's right hand, a place of high honor, and speaks to God on your behalf. 

If that doesn't make you worthy, well, by golly, I don't know what does. 

This Lent, let's practice self-denial. Let's deny ourselves the the feelings of shame and guilt. And instead let's body approach our Father, like the holy and blameless children we are. 

The Blame Game, Shame, and Why that's Not Your Name

by Jennifer Smith

I was thinking of Monica Lewinsky today. Random, right? A friend on Facebook posted an interview with her. As I read the article I was struck by how greatly I identified with her. Like her, my past is full of mistakes.

I'm luckier than Monica, though. Most of my sins have been committed quietly. Only the knowledge of a few or even just myself. She, however, was branded. A reputation. A dirty word. A scarlet letter. "That woman."

Monica says, "The shame sticks to you like tar." Oh, how I know that feeling. Whether or not my past has been ridiculed on the world stage, I know what shame feels like. I know what it is to wonder what a certain group of people think of you because of past actions. I know what it is to have Satan whisper If they only know what you've done, they won't love you.

Shame, Shame. Everybody knows your name.

As I was reading the Lewinsky article my freedom in Christ bounced around like a rubber ball in my heart. I desperately wanted to reach through my iPhone, grab her, and share with her that shame is not her name.

But you, dear reader, I can grab through your screen. God has brought you to this meeting to tell you the same thing He wants to tell Monica:

Shame, shame. It's most certainly not your name.

"Though your sins be as scarlet, I have washed them white as snow" says the Redeemer of the world (Isaiah 1:18). No scarlet letter, only a blank canvas.

My pastor said the most brilliant thing this morning about our past sins. See, it's not that God forgets your sin. It's that He chooses to not remember them. There's a difference. The Creator of the universe, the One who is in charge, chooses to forgive you, chooses to call you His own, chooses to rename you.

Isaiah 43:7 tells us that God will be with all those who are called by His Name. You, dear one, sweet Christian, are most certainly labeled with the Name of Christ.

Shame and guilt are not of God, friends. They are perfectly orchestrated devices Satan uses to tell you that you aren't good enough. Here's the beautiful irony - you're not good enough. But you don't have to be. On Calvary Jesus, in all His perfection, covered you in His righteousness and goodness (Isaiah 61:10).

The next time Satan tries to brand you with the Blame Game of Shame, remind him that's not your name. Your name is inscribed on the palms of God's hands. He says in Isaiah 49:

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands..."

Remind Satan who you are. Better yet, remind yourself of who you are. And that, no matter what you've done, the blood of Jesus is enough to cover it.