Rapid Rebound
Too often what keeps us from strength, is not an actual weakness, but discouragement
about the weakness.
I. How God Sees You
- At the Party. God's attitude to the repentant sinner is that of the Father in the Prodigal Son story: when we come back he celebrates with a party! (Luke 15.)
- The Cape Lie. A friend and I were praying with someone struggling with sin who was worried about failure, when my friend had a vision of a cape being put on and pulled off of this person. The message from the Lord was that the analogy of the cape is a lie. Sin doesn't keep us from God, only unrepented sin. God's love is always with us (because of Christ).
- Comprehensive Coverage. Jesus died even for sins we've yet to commit, so no sins are a surprise to him. (We might be suprised, but God isn't.)
- Refined Senses. You might be surprised at your sinfulness is because God has given you a greater sensitivity to it. We are more aware of our weaknesses when trying harder to fight them. C. S. Lewis: "we know the strength of the wind by walking into it, not from giving into it."
- Periodic Weeding. Some vices God completely removes; others need periodic weeding. Relax. The Lord simply asks you to continue to pull them out when you see them. He allows some weeds because: a.) We will never have a weed-less garden until we get to Heaven. b.) Our gardening muscles and abilities are kept sharp by the weeding. c.) Sometimes God will allow smaller weeds to grow in ground where larger ones might grow. (E.g., Sometimes God will allow struggles with lust to keep us from being proud.)
- The Paradox of Mercy. Unfortunately, sometimes the best way we know the Lord's love is the relief (or some other tangible blessing) that we experience after repenting which says "You are forgiven. Go in peace." Ironcically, it's because "where sin increased, grace increased all the more" (Rom 5:20.) God says "I have no need of your strength; but I have great need of your weakness."
- His Perfection Over Ours. Ironically, in trying to please God sometimes we act as if our goal is to be so perfect that we don't need the Lord or his forgiveness! Christianity is not as much about our being perfect as it is relying on God's perfection. In Prayer of Jabez Bruce Wilkinson says "The most effective war against sin is to pray that we will not have to fight." Christianity is not presenting perfect lives to God, but to receive His perfect life; it not about our love for God, but God's love for us.
God is Working Evil Into Good
- Satan's Double Standard. Before we sin the devil wants us to take sin lightly; after we sin he wants us to feel condemned. By his standard either way we're shafted. The name "devil" means 'accuser'.
- Conviction vs. Condemnation. The condemns; the Holy Spirit convicts. God points out sin to separate us from it; the devil to de-motivate us. God encourages, the devil discourages.
- Sense vs. Reality. After sin we may experience a "muddiness" in our souls as if God's favor has gone. If the muddiness remains after repentance it may be God letting us soak in the effects of our disobedience (every sin is a souvenir from Hell) to stress the importance of obeying next time. It's not that He doesn't love us any more; it's that He disciplines those he loves. (Heb 12:6.) He may take away our sense of worthiness, but not our actual worthiness, because we rely on him to make us worthy.
- Lending a Hand. God again turns evil into good by using our experience to help others with similar struggles.
- Objective Feedback. How would you counsel someone in the same situation? Because of a more realistic perspective you would likely be a great encouragement, like Christ.
Getting Up
- Three Responses After Tripping. a.) Some stay on the ground. b.) Some want to get up, but feel unable. c.) Some get up. Note that the saint is the one in the third category, not the one who never falls! The key to saints: they keep getting up.
- Let it Go. During prayer time repentance is usually the least amount of time in relative to praising God, making requests known, and listening to God, etc. Once you've sincerely repented, move on.
- God's Help. If we let our disappointment
about our sin keep us from God, then the time we need God the most is the
time we avoid his help.
- Diminishing Returns. After some point, we are less fruitful for God by worrying about how fruitful for God we are! Avoid paralysis of analysis and simply run through it, like an athlete.
- It's Really Self-Focus. Often disappointment about fallin in sin is not because we've let the Lord down, but because of self-focus, otherwise we'd get back up more easily.
- Fresh Pampers. Sin is like a poopy diaper; once it's changed: be ready to party!