Break free from the cycle of guilt that keeps you from connecting with God.
By going through LookUP, you're successfully building the foundational habit of spiritual growth.
Pause, take a moment to thank God for working in your heart, and celebrate your momentum!
In Ezekiel, God offers a foretaste of his plan to heal humanity:
*And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.*
We know from Jesus' ministry and the rest of the New Testament that God has fulfilled this promise for anyone who believes in him.
If you'd like, you can pray this simple prayer:
*"God, thank you for giving me a new identity in you. I am grateful that you live within my heart and help me to follow you."*
But here's the tension I feel.
If the Holy Spirit lives within me and is helping me to follow Jesus, why do I keep failing?
There are two major reasons I fall short: limitations and sin.
Either way, why is it so hard for me to love God and my neighbor?
Sometimes, I drown in waves of shame, guilt, and embarrassment.
Maybe you feel like God could never accept someone like you. Your sins are too great for God's forgiveness. You've failed so many times; why try again?
**The problem is that guilt is a trap.**
In the guilt trap, we feel terrible, we give up, we don't change, and we feel worse.
**But God has a solution: He gives us more grace!**
*Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.*
The Holy Spirit not only transforms us into God's beloved, but he also keeps working within us to free us from our sins.
Today, take a moment to ask yourself: do I feel condemned by God?
Search your heart. Where do I feel guilty, ashamed, or even worthless?
Share those exact emotions with God. Then, ask God to help you experience his forgiveness, love, and freedom.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Have you ever been caught in the guilt trap - feeling terrible, giving up, and feeling worse?
What does 'no condemnation' mean for how you approach God when you've failed?
Where do you feel guilty, ashamed, or worthless? Can you share that honestly with God?
When you miss a devotion, don't spiral into guilt. Simply start again the next day. There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus.
Pray: 'God, thank you that there is no condemnation for me in Christ. Help me receive your grace and keep moving forward.'
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