The other day, I was out talking with someone who was going on and on about a particular family they knew and all the stressful problems they seemed to be dealing with ~ financial, physical, emotional, and of course spiritual. This person made a definitive proclamation that most if not all the problems this family was experiencing was what he deemed “self-inflicted’. The situations that brought this family to the point they were today were not unfair or unjust circumstances of life that came upon them by things totally out of their control, but rather things that they themselves brought on from poor decisions, one right after the other.
Have you ever been there???? Have you ever made a bad decision(s) that wreaked untold havoc upon every area of your life? Have you allowed yourself to be ruled by destructive habits? Have you ever gone to the left when you should have gone to the right??? Have you ever done something wrong that you knew in your heart was wrong, but you did it anyway???? Have you ever chosen to disobey God’s Word thinking your way was better???
Any of the consequences of these situations can clearly be noted under the category of “self-inflicted” wounds. You can take years and years to build a happy marriage, a special friendship, a strong family, a successful career, a comfortable bank account, a precious personal relationship with God and then throw it all away with one or more bad decisions, usually made in the heat of a rebellious or I don’t really care moment.
So what would God have to say about all of this since He usually gets blamed for it all anyway???? Are we doomed to live in constant torment, or in unrelenting loss, or in defeat and brokenness, or in destructive physical or emotional pain or even in financial demise? The answer is NO! That is because everyone of us at some point will say or do something that we know isn’t right, but we say or do it anyway… all of us! Any of us at any time can chose to refuse and rebel our way right into the pit of despair and hopelessness and defeat. Not one of us are exempt from making poor decisions that affect both us and all those around us that we love. The reason for that is because not one of us is “good”.
In the book of Mark, chapter 10:18, someone called Jesus, who was the Son of God, “good”. His answer was… “Why do you call me good… no one is good except my Father alone.” If Jesus was saying that even He wasn’t good, what hope is there for any of us????? Ah, but in God’s divine plan for us all, there is always hope. In James 2:13, the Bible says that “mercy triumphs over judgment” … did you hear that??? Mercy triumphs over judgment. What a powerful declaration clearly defining the true character of our God which clearly answers the question… are our “self-inflicted” mistakes the pathway to our permanent destruction or the pathway to forgiveness, restoration, and restitution by the only One in the universe who is good.
When we turn to our heavenly Father, the God who loves us and who understands us completely, the God who is nothing but GOOD, and we sincerely repent before Him for our foolishness, we have cleared the way for our mistakes to eventually turn around and become a steppingstone to a life full of true peace, joy, contentment, and victory!!!!!
Rejoice today my friends and realize… no matter how many times you miss it, God’s mercies are new every morning. No matter how many times you perpetrate self-inflicted wounds upon yourself, God is willing to wipe your slate clean over and over again as you come to him in repentance. He will forgive you every time, heal your battered soul and set your feet on solid ground where no weapon formed against you will ever prosper.
Let us all say with a heart of thanksgiving… thank you Lord for showering us with your loving kindness and goodness that extends far beyond any bad choices we will ever make in this life. Remember… “Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the one that takes refuge in Him.” (Psalm 34:8)
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