Amazing grace...

Amazing grace...

"...be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus."

-2 Timothy 2:1, NLT

By Rev. Bobby Schuller, Crystal Cathedral Pastor

My dad uses this analogy all the time: "Guilt is like setting your hand on a hot frying pan. The sting you feel shows you that something is wrong." If my hand always had searing pain, would that be a good thing? No. To be constantly riddled with guilt is also a bad thing. And Christ offers us a remedy for this. The two parts of this remedy are grace and, yes, reform. Those two go hand and hand.

No matter what you've done, no matter what your sins are, in accepting God's grace, you must actually believe that God has forgiven you. Too often, we want to dwell on it, spending guilt-filled hours thinking about how sinful we are. Remember the reason He died was so that you'd be free from that guilt. He sees you as sin-free. Can you see yourself that way?

Guilt is not a good thing. It's only meant to show us that there's something to be fixed. Christ on the cross is enough. It's enough. And, if that's not enough, I don't know what could be.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of grace. Help me to "feel the heat" of my sin. Then, as you accept my confession, help me to accept the grace you've given me, no matter what the offence. As I reform my ways, give me your strength to do so. Amen.

Reflection: Reread today's scripture verse. How will the grace that God gives you free your spirit and soul to grow to become whole, healthy, and guilt-free?