Have you ever had those people in your life, who, after they have hurt you, attempted to defend why they did so? I have..
It seems to be something some people are pretty good at, justifying their self at whatever they do. If they speak rudely to you, it's that you provoked them. If they lash out at you, it was because you "got in their face". Etc etc etc...
Honestly,I'll admit, I've done that too. After doing something wrong, I attempt to try to undertsand why I did it. Was it something in my subconcious that provoked me? Was there something in my life that caused me to fulfil a need in this way, even though it was wrong?
I guess if we go that route, pretty soon it will seem there's no such thing as sin, because we could always justify why we do this or that..
But you know what I think of sometimes? Or have been thinking of...How good it feels, when someone says, honestly,sincerely, " I was wrong. I'm sorry,sorry for hurting you.." No attempt, or little, to cast blame on me, but rather them just expressing how bad they feel that they hurt me..
Granted, it hasn't happened alot...
But then my thinking goes to God, and what He wants of us. So freely He offers His forgiveness, His love. So freely He wants to save us from the mess we made of our lives. But He wants us to admit,first, that we messed up. That we need Him. To not maybe so much try to defend why we did what we did, but to simply admit that it was wrong. That what we did is why He died....No more excuses, no more attempts at self justification, though there may be sincere reasons why people do what they do...but an honest, "I'm sorry Father,please,forgive me.."
Isn't that how I want people to treat me? Even more so, maybe that's how I should then treat them.
In my opinion, God wants us to come to Him, just as we are...confessing our need of Him. Confessing we really aren't great people because of our success or friends or whatever-but just being real about who we are, what we've done. He wants us to be humble, not arrogant. Sincere, not prideful. To tell Him what we are, so that He can make us into the beautiful creation He intended us to be...
Father, thank You, so much, for Your steadfast love. Please forgive me, for hurting You as I have by my sins. Please make me clean, and fill me with Your love, and help me more to reflect that love with those I come in contact with...
It seems to be something some people are pretty good at, justifying their self at whatever they do. If they speak rudely to you, it's that you provoked them. If they lash out at you, it was because you "got in their face". Etc etc etc...
Honestly,I'll admit, I've done that too. After doing something wrong, I attempt to try to undertsand why I did it. Was it something in my subconcious that provoked me? Was there something in my life that caused me to fulfil a need in this way, even though it was wrong?
I guess if we go that route, pretty soon it will seem there's no such thing as sin, because we could always justify why we do this or that..
But you know what I think of sometimes? Or have been thinking of...How good it feels, when someone says, honestly,sincerely, " I was wrong. I'm sorry,sorry for hurting you.." No attempt, or little, to cast blame on me, but rather them just expressing how bad they feel that they hurt me..
Granted, it hasn't happened alot...
But then my thinking goes to God, and what He wants of us. So freely He offers His forgiveness, His love. So freely He wants to save us from the mess we made of our lives. But He wants us to admit,first, that we messed up. That we need Him. To not maybe so much try to defend why we did what we did, but to simply admit that it was wrong. That what we did is why He died....No more excuses, no more attempts at self justification, though there may be sincere reasons why people do what they do...but an honest, "I'm sorry Father,please,forgive me.."
Isn't that how I want people to treat me? Even more so, maybe that's how I should then treat them.
In my opinion, God wants us to come to Him, just as we are...confessing our need of Him. Confessing we really aren't great people because of our success or friends or whatever-but just being real about who we are, what we've done. He wants us to be humble, not arrogant. Sincere, not prideful. To tell Him what we are, so that He can make us into the beautiful creation He intended us to be...
Father, thank You, so much, for Your steadfast love. Please forgive me, for hurting You as I have by my sins. Please make me clean, and fill me with Your love, and help me more to reflect that love with those I come in contact with...
