“Immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness.”—Mark 1:12 (NASB)
I was listening to a presentation about God’s forgiveness. One example given left a powerful impression on me. The impression was not necessarily based on the specific point of forgiveness that was being made but had more to do with God’s desire that nothing separate us from Him. Forgiveness and uninterrupted relationship are two of the most beautiful aspects of a personal relationship with God, and they’re bridged by His unconditional love.
A pastor shared a story about something that has become a very common struggle for both women and men alike. Someone in his congregation was struggling with pornography, and he had called the pastor to ask if God was punishing him.
The man shared his struggle with the pastor and explained that in the last few months he’d been clean longer than any previous attempt at obtaining his freedom. But recently he was hit with a new wave of temptation. He was fighting a strong urge to view porn on his home computer.
He told the pastor that he felt God Himself was saying not to do it. But the man caved and looked at hours of pornography. The next day, the man’s son was killed. He felt strongly that God was punishing him for his sins.
Sin has a funny way of twisting things up even if it’s only in our own minds. Thinking God is to blame for something painful is a legit reaction. Legit if you believe Satan. If you don’t know God’s heart for you then it’s legit. It’s legit if you have an orphan spirit or a spirit of poverty.
Satan would love nothing more than for us to believe we’re not good enough, that God doesn’t love us, that we do not deserve a new start. Satan incites our pride, and sometimes we fall for it.
The man’s porn addiction was robbing him. He knew the Holy Spirit had clearly instructed him not to view porn. He didn’t heed the warning and, because of his burden of shame, he knew he should be punished. He aligned himself with Satan’s persecution and felt condemned, a loser, unqualified for God’s forgiveness.
FORGIVENESS – in case you need some encouragement today…
That is an Old Testament mindset. A time when the law was what people had to measure themselves against. It was a method of measurement that indicated their inability to be perfect.
There’s good news! While the law still indicates our inability to live perfect lives, we’re under the law of grace now.
After Christ came in the flesh, was unjustly slain, and rose again from the dead, His blood sacrifice satisfied the just payment required to remove the separation between man and God. We now live under grace as laid out in the New Testament.
Grace is when God gives us what is rightfully due Him, even though we do not deserve it.
After Adam and Eve chose to do things their way and not heed God’s command, they introduced death and eternal separation from God. Death comes for us all. No exceptions. No one is getting out of here alive. The only way to change our eternal resting place was for God to intercede on our behalf. He sent His son Jesus.
The blood of Jesus that was poured out on Calvary gives us the option of a different eternity.
But that is the forgiveness portion, let me get to what fell fresh on my heart the day I was listening to the pastor share this story.
NOW HERE’S WHAT I LEARNED…
When the man’s son was killed, it did not catch God off guard. Father God knew the day, the time, and the means by which that man’s son would pass from this life into eternity.
God sent the man a warning, not as a threat. He wanted to give that man the ability to grieve his beloved son minus the burden of his guilt and shame.
Holy Spirit didn’t tell that man not to view pornography or else God would take his son from him. Holy Spirit was telling that man not to view pornography because, first and foremost, it would bring the man shame. But, this particular time, God knew the man’s son was going to die. He also knew the man would associate his son’s death with his own sin and, therefore, heap loads of guilt on himself and drive himself even further away from Him.
The distance of their separation would be vast, and a whole new level of death would creep in, pulling the man deeper into the vast emptiness of guilt and shame.
Which would devour the man first, the weight of his condemnation or the grief that soaked into his bone marrow? Together they are a formidable foe that can drive a massive wedge between a person’s head and their heart. But never in the heart of God.
Remember Judas was welcomed to sit at Jesus’ table even though Jesus knew that he had betrayed Him. He was allowed to eat with Jesus even though Judas would soon be handing Him over the Roman soldiers to be killed.
If Judas had not hanged himself over his guilt and shame, once Jesus rose again He would have welcomed Judas with open arms. Even though Satan, through Judas meant harm, God redeemed it for good.
The God of the Holy Bible is the God of restoration. He is the God of second chances and deep relationship.
The battle Adam and Eve faced in the Garden is still the battle we fight every day. Satan will forever try to make us think that God is keeping something from us. Something we deserve. Things that we feel qualified to handle. Our challenge will be whether or not we believe God is a good God, especially when guilt and shame envelop us or when tragedy levels us face down in the dust.
And God, through His word, His actions, and His presence will forever be trying to show us His deep, immovable, never-ending love for us.
NOW LIVE LOVED and THRIVE!
Self-Reflection
These questions are in no way a substitute for healthcare professionals or any level of professional counseling. I’m an advocate for taking care of oneself mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. These questions reflect my heart, NOT my profession.
This questionnaire is an opportunity to journal your thoughts and feelings. It can serve as a launching pad on which to evaluate your heart condition as you understand it. My hope is that you will take the truths you discover about yourself and hold them up to the Light to evaluate them against who God says you are.
- Is there anything you have done or do that brings you guilt and shame?
- Are there any benefits to guilt and shame? If so, list them.
- With regard to guilt and shame, what sort of impact do these 2 emotions have on your quality of life?
- Looking over the impact guilt and shame produce, who would you say is responsible for those emotions, God or Satan?
- Have you agreed with a lie? If so, what is the lie?
- What is a truth that you can use to rewrite the lie with any time it tries to resurface?
- Write this truth on a piece of paper and keep it where you will see it often so that you can be strengthened to rewrite the lie.
- Talk to God about your answers. Give Him praise, ask Him questions and then listen for His gentle response.
Take Action
Use God’s word to take control over the traumas in your life. Whenever you feel terrorized by your thoughts take them captive by replacing them with the truth of God’s promises in His word.
Here is a scripture for you to print, cut and carry with you and/or post in places where you will see it often. Ground yourself in God’s truths not Satan’s attacks. Encourage your heart and mind every time you are reminded of His great love for YOU!
“Immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness.”—Mark 1:12 (NIV)
When you read God’s word say to yourself: I can hear from God by listening for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit instructs, guides, and teaches me. He reveals the heart of God to me.
