Do you blame yourself for some things you’ve done? Do you go over and over again some things you’ve unwisely said ? Do you chastise yourself for things you’ve left undone? Don’t worry. There’s plenty of grace for self-blamers!

“Deliberately punishing ourselves with blame and shame, instead of turning toward the epic grace of God, never produces anything good”, writes Kurt Bubna in his book Epic Grace, Chronicles of a Recovering Idiot. Kurt continues “Don’t listen to the accusing voice of the evil one, who never has your best interest in mind.”

There is a better alternative available. As Kurt reminds us “Our part is to trust in a God who understands our humanity, our tendency to fail, and our need for his endless grace.”

We can go to God just as we are and whenever we are ready, he is always waiting for us with open arms. Kurt states “Nothing is too hard, and no one too far gone, for God to redeem, restore, or renew.”

God’s grace truly covers us. Not only the good stuff but also the bad and the ugly. It really is time to let go of blaming and shaming and receive God’s healing grace instead. Grace will produce so much good in our lives that there is no more room for self-blaming.

All of our praise rises to the One who is strong enough to make you strong, exactly as preached in Jesus Christ, precisely as revealed in the mystery kept secret for so long but now an open book through the prophetic Scriptures. All the nations of the world can now know the truth and be brought into obedient belief, carrying out the orders of God, who got all this started, down to the very last letter. (Romans 16:25-26, MSG, emphasis added)

With God we are strong.
With God we are able to do our best.
With God nothing is impossible.

What we need to do is to ask God to help with our weaknesses and surrender every one of our messes. For when I am weak in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength). (2 Cor.12:10b, AMP)

Kurt concludes “But here’s what matters most: hope, faith, and love. Hope in a God who can take our mistakes and redeem anything surrendered to him. Faith in a God who is bigger than our failures, no matter what they are. Love from a Father who will never give up on us and wants us never to give up on him.” That pretty much sums it up.

Hence:
1) Go to God as you are and surrender your past, presence, and future to God
2) Wait for good because God is good and he works everything for your good.
3) Rejoice: God will never let you go and his love for you endures forever.

 

Gracious God,
Thank you for loving us no matter what.
Thank you for being stronger than anything.
We surrender to you everything,
all the messes we’ve made,
our incapabilities and weaknesses.
Cover us with your grace.
Be our strength.
Be our everything.
May Thy will be done in our lives.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Q4U: Do you blame yourself? Why is it easier to keep blaming yourself than to turn to God?

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you revel in God’s grace!

Image courtesy of Charl Cristiani, design Mari-Anna Stålnacke. Linking up today with Unite the Bloggersphere , Three Word Wednesday and #tellhisstory.

This post is part of #EpicGraceWednesdays. I am blogging through Kurt Bubna’s Epic Grace. Join me every Wednesday! Note: #EpicGraceWednesdays will be on Christmas break. Merry Christmas, every one!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review (or any review for that matter). The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”