Whenever Our Heart Condemns Us
God was speaking to me through 1 John chapter 3 through a teacher/preacher this morning…the following is something I have to remind myself of time and time again because I catch myself in self-condemnation. We must be reminded of the truth and let that renew us daily, and also remind one another of the truths of Scripture that we hold to so dearly.
Oh how I can relate!
The preacher/teacher mentioned how there are people who have the tendency to condemn themselves when they say the wrong things. Maybe they said something one night and their heart begins to condemn themselves through the night and into the next day over what was said. Oh how I can relate! I know how that feels when my heart often condemns itself and forgets to believe in God. I begin to beat myself up and continue being distraught over my self-condemning heart – my high school youth pastor’s song entitled “Self-Inflicted Agony” is fitting.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)
HOWEVER!!!! In Christ, God does not condemn us. NO, NOT EVER! He is an everlasting God with an everlasting love for those that love Him and are found to be in Christ Jesus. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). God’s love towards us doesn’t quiver and wane by our condemning hearts. BECAUSE GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR HEART (v.19).
HOW DOES GOD FEEL?
I was thinking, what if I didn’t believe what someone told me was true. “My father just passed away”, and I didn’t believe them, how do you think that person would feel? They may feel upset, angry, uncared for, ignored, misunderstood. “What the heck?!? My dad just passed away and you don’t believe me?!? You’re not my friend anymore!” (have you ever said that as a little kid? haha) I was thinking that when I came to realize how that person felt because of my unbelief, it would make me feel pretty bad too because I realize how my unbelief affected them. The thing is, we DO often believe what our friends tell us to be true. We are understanding, supporting and loving. However, when it comes to God, He has made it known, opened my eyes and ears to hear that there is NO CONDEMNATION IN CHRIST! Yes, no condemnation. Yet when my heart continues to condemn itself over whatever is going on internally and externally, “I’m unlovable, unforgivable, messed up, not worth anything, always getting it wrong and therefore there is no hope for me,” beating myself up…then,
HOW DOES GOD FEEL?
the nature of God cannot be manipulated by my unbelief
Does he say, “What the heck?!? I gave you my Son Christ Jesus and you don’t believe me?!?” NO. And not with that kind of tone either. I have to remember that God gave His Son because He so loved this world. The evidence of God’s love is in the giving His son, Jesus Christ. He will confront our unbelief don’t get me wrong, but the point I am making here is that the essence, the nature of God cannot be manipulated by my unbelief. Why? Because God is greater than our heart. God is not like man in that He is lacking anything. God is an immovable rock, the same yesterday, today and forever, everlasting, constant, and unrelenting. God is reminding me that His love for me supersedes self-condemnation, revealed through the once-and-done yet standing-for-eternity-cross-of-Calvary. Jesus Christ took that condemnation crucified upon that cross in my place that I might have no condemnation in Jesus.
19By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. || 1 John 3:19-24 ||
