When You Know That You’ve Failed God

I knew that I had failed God.

When I lost my phone at an amusement park recently, all I did was panic. My mind automatically went into Worst Case Scenario mode. My trip to the Lost and Found Office didn’t help. Nor did making phone calls and filling out online forms. I was completely helpless in this situation.

Sure, I said a couple quick prayers of panic. But instead of placing my trust in the Lord—that He would do whatever was best for me in this situation—I worried. I directly disobeyed Jesus’ command not to worry from Matthew 6 and Luke 12.  I knew Jesus wanted me to be faithful with what He had given me—a difficult scenario with the option to either worry or to trust Him.

And I failed Him.

You Too?

You know that you shouldn’t have watched that movie last night. But you were feeling lonely, angry, and irritated. So you watched it, and you regret it.

Now the sexual scenes are playing over and over in your mind. You can’t seem to stop picturing the steamy images in your mind. Lust overcomes you like a tidal wave.

Run to Jesus.

You feel terrible for listening to that new album. Again. You promised yourself that you wouldn’t do it, but the lyrics were so catchy and the music was so upbeat.

Now swear words are swimming around in your brain. Honestly, you kind of want to use some of them with your coworkers. You can’t focus on anything except those ugly words.

Run to Jesus.

You realize that you shouldn’t have talked so negatively about the new girl at church. Maybe she’s actually a nice person, but she seemed so cold and stuck-up. But you wish you hadn’t fallen into the gossip trap again.

Now regret fills your heart, mind, and soul. You were trying to put an end to your destructive habit of gossiping, but you didn’t. You sinned again.

Run to Jesus.

Here’s the Thing

There are a million other examples I could use to demonstrate that feeling of I’ve-failed-God-so-I-can’t-run-to-Him.

You know where that feeling comes from? Really, it’s more than a feeling; it’s a lie from Satan. The last thing Satan wants you to do is run to Jesus.

“Oh, don’t expect Him to forgive you again,” the devil loves to whisper. “You crossed the line one too many times. Don’t even bother.”

“How could you expect the most holy God to forgive you of this filth?” Satan nags. “You have no right to come to Him in your pathetic state. Stay away.”

“I know you think He’s a loving God, but His love only lasts for so long,” the devil sneers. “Your sin appalls Him. And so do you.”

But we have a very clear comeback for these lies.

The Comeback

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? Just as it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We were regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39 NASB)

No one—not even the devil himself—can accuse you of being too far from the Father. Once you belong to Him, no one can claim you don’t. Their claims fall through the holes in Jesus’ hands.  

So, friends, when you know that you’ve failed God, remember whom He sent to redeem your failures. The accuser desperately wants you to forget that. So don’t! Instead, savor it. No matter how many times you fail, savor the truth and run to Him.

Happy New Year!