Undo

So, tonight for some reason I can't sleep. I am so tired but my mind is going a million miles per minute. In the middle of my attempt at sheep counting, this song flooded into my mind. It's called "Undo" by Rush of Fools, and it used to be one of my favourite songs a couple of years ago. I looked up the song and sat and listened to it....and it reminded me of some things that have been on my mind lately. 

"I've been here beforeNow, here I am again
Standing at the door
Praying You'll let me back in

To label me
A prodigal would be
Only scratching the surface
Of who I've been known to be"

In this song, the band touches on the feelings of guilt and shame. I feel like there are so many people who struggle with these two things......feeding into the LIES that they are worthless and that they can never be forgiven. This is NOT true. Jesus longs for you to come back to Him with your whole heart, believing that you are free and forgiven. Hebrews 10:22, "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Jesus sees into our hearts and is desperately desiring to purify us from all that we're hiding inside. Everyone fails in some ways or another, but when we realize that we can be forgiven and made new, Jesus wants us to fall before His feet...knowing we can't do it anymore on our own strength. But that we NEED HIM. 

One of my friends told me once of something that had happened that they deeply regretted. I could see the guilt and shame all across their face....but when I looked at my friend, he had never looked so perfect. And I knew right then, that I was seeing him with God's eyes...of how God saw him and just how deeply God loved him. The pain of his shame brought pain to God, and I could feel all that in that moment, and I just knew that He was begging for my friend to realize and GRASP that he was indeed forgiven and it was all going to be okay. Jesus loved him, and loves us SO much....but sometimes the shame is to big that we can't fully see it. Jesus wants you to receive His forgiveness, and forgive yourself. 

Romans 12:1 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.." 

Let us RUN with all of our might towards the things that are good....throwing off everything else that can tangle us up and cause us to stumble. With our eyes fixed above, and asking for strength each day...slowly the guilt and shame will fade away as we each are reminded of HOW incredibly much our God DOES love us. Believe it.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stT0WzeXrLU