“If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you” (Psalm 130:3-4, NIV).
In my own imperfect Christian life I have discovered that I make unintentional mistakes. To some an unintentional mistake might not appear large. However, I know the life of someone might be affected by what I have done. I ask for forgiveness and pray for whoever might be hurt as a result. If I allowed it, the enemy could tear me apart over something like that. He could throw a guilt trip that could keep me from serving the Lord. Once you ask for forgiveness, don't remain burdened by feelings of guilt. Allow the Lord to show what you need to do, and what you don't need to do. If you have truly turned it over to Him, He will guide you perfectly in how to handle your unintentional mistake.
I have made unintentional mistakes where the intention of my heart was actually to help or encourage someone else. I have stepped into situations where I have been unaware of other dynamics taking place. In my ignorance, I have fallen short of what God has intended. My failure has not been in lack of caring. It has been in not allowing the Holy Spirit to guide me. Now this is where I must really look at the state of my heart. Am I more concerned about how someone I might have unintentionally hurt feels about me or am I more concerned about how my mistake hurts them? The focus must never be on me. If I am concerned about the appearance of being “perfect” all the time, the focus is on me. That is wrong! But if I realize that in my own imperfection, He alone perfects me, then I am free to honestly admit my mistake. I don't want another person to suffer or hurt in their Christian walk because of it. I am willing to admit what I have done and ask for forgiveness. In receiving God's forgiveness, I discover freedom from condemnation the enemy brings to bear for a mistake that was never meant to happen.
Perhaps you have found yourself in such a situation. If you discover you have made an unintentional mistake, there is no condemnation in Jesus Christ. You are more than a conqueror in Him. Beth Moore puts it like this in “Praying God's Word”. “He who is unconvinced of God's love is unconvinced he is more than a conqueror.” In all that happens in your life, intentional or unintentional, you are more than a conqueror through Him who loved you and gave His life for you (Romans 8:37). There is forgiveness, and there is victory.
If we can repent and be forgiven for an intentional wrong, then we are also forgiven for our unintentional ones. With His forgiveness and in reverence, we can rise up and serve Him–again and again.
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