In recent days, I took the opportunity to open my mouth and insert my entire foot into it. I had misread a situation and made comments I should have kept to myself. And once those words were out, well, there was no way to get them back in.
Sigh.
I’ve written here before that my
grandmother often said, “You just have to bite your tongue,” and if I had known
when I was younger how much I needed to remember those words, I would have had
them tattooed on my forehead.
It helps me that a well-known
Bible teacher has written it isn’t a normal day unless she’s had to apologize
several times.
It appears I’m having a good many
normal days.
I’ve felt so bad about my comments.
Yes, I know God forgives me, but I have trouble letting go. I’m assuming I’m
not the only one who has a lapse like this, so maybe you face this struggle as
well.
On this upcoming third Sunday in
Advent, we’ll be lighting the candle of joy. God is reminding me that Jesus came
to give us joy despite our failures and blunders. We don’t have to drag them around
like a sack of rocks. Yes, there are always consequences to sin, but shame and
guilt are not part of that equation when we’ve confessed our sins and asked
forgiveness.
The words of Charles Wesley’s
Advent Hymn remind us of this:
Come, thou long
expected Jesus, born to set thy people free;
From our fears
and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength
and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art;
Dear desire of
every nation, joy of every longing heart.
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Beverly Varnado copyright 2021