”I will always be remembered for my biggest failure.”
That’s a line from Night at the Museum 2, which I saw with my family over the weekend, said by Col. Custer. It’s the only line I remember from the whole movie. The Colonel makes this statement in reference to his involvement in the Battle of Little Big Horn, and tries to use it as an excuse to avoid joining in a fight against the film’s villains.
I left the theater on Friday night thinking about how often I (used to) feel defined by my failures. No matter how much good I did, or how well I performed, it was never enough to cover up the smudge made by mistakes. That’s not a fun way to feel, and I’m glad I’ve slowly started to step away from that line of thinking.
It’s sort of hard to feel much hope if you keep thinking that way.
Hebrews 10:17: ‘And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.’
Yes, all have sinned (Romans 3:23). Jesus went as far as to point out that it is easier to pass a camel through a needle’s eye than to reach heaven, and he did that in order to illustrate that it is impossible to get to God under your own power (Matthew 19:24, Mark 10:25, Luke 18:25).
But God knows this. That’s why he reached out to us. We cannot truly glorify God if we remain forever drowning in our guilt, shame, and despair; if we were meant for such an existence, then what’s the point of salvation?
Instead, the point of salvation was to save us from such an existence . . . but many people seem to have latched onto a crackpot idea of God’s love and mercy coming at some later date.
If you’re under God’s mercy and grace, then you’re saved, and you’re saved right now and henceforth. God isn’t going to remember your sins and iniquities, so there’s no reason for you to do so in His stead. Though you have made mistakes and will continue to make mistakes, the way of God is to point you to the remedy so you can make things right–then you’ll never have to worry about it again, and you can even rejoice over that fact. In other words, the function of guilt should be to facilitate its own absolution, not compound itself like interest on some kind of spiritual ‘loan’ until the burden of the ‘payments’ finally crushes your spirit.
If you are worrying about it, or if you’re being pointed to further guilt, shame, and despair, then whatever is pointing you that way is not from God.
Remember Luke 15:3-7: ‘And he spake this parable unto them, saying, “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, ‘Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.’ I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”‘
Now, I’m going to refrain from actually putting you up on my shoulders, since I, being my graceless self, would likely bonk your head on a doorframe or low-hanging tree limb within seconds. But the sentiment is there: I may not be your shepherd, but I can be happy for you for leaving the ranks of the despondent, and so I will.
K
i think you should read Searching For God Knows What by Donald Miller.
it puts things in perspective. and it’s a fun read.