Many Christians get discouraged - and their prayer lives suffer - when they sin or make mistakes.
Susie Larson says that's exactly when we should turn back to Christ and bask in the wonders of his grace. That's when we must pray.
Rather than thinking about how hopeless we are, we should gaze at God and drink in the truth about what he has done for us. The Christian life is not about us, but about him.
"When we fall or fumble the ball, the worst thing we can do is stay in the dirt and berate ourselves for our weakness," Larson says in her book Your Powerful Prayers: Reaching the Heart of God. "Why? Because Jesus says it is precisely in our weakness that we can know his strength and power."
The devil loves it when we wallow in our weaknesses and accept his condemning words.
As I noted in last week's post, Larson declares that Christians should realize that, in God's eyes, we are heirs with all the privileges of children of God. We are not orphans who should cringe in the Lord's sight and beg for crumbs from his table.
Still, many believers - myself included - have approached the Lord with diffidence. We have worried that God must be unhappy with us for our failures.
Larson says that "the moment I catch myself feeling or acting impatient, suspicious, or unloving, I think about the Lord".
"I look past my weakness and I look to the cross. I remember that my Jesus who died in my place is pure and loving and patient and kind. All the things I'm not at times. And he has imparted his righteousness to me."
She praises him "for a grace so priceless that I cannot, for the life of me, wrap my brain around it".
She adds: "Still it's mine. And I worship."
Some may think this attitude leads to people assuming they have a licence to sin.
"I'd say the exact opposite is true. Jesus himself said those who have been forgiven much, love much (Luke 7:47). That's certainly been true of me."
As she thinks about the Lord, she considers the characteristics that draw her to him - his might, his patience, his kindness, his care for the poor and oppressed, his faithfulness.
"He is discerning, unwavering, and keeps his word. He loves humility, hates pride, and refuses to be manipulated."
In her book, she goes on at length with other things she loves about Jesus. She urges us to reflect on Jesus every day.
Even so, we can fall again once we begin to think we can stand on what we have accomplished. We must recognize that God is good and that he has poured out on us gifts and grace that we do not deserve.
"If we stay humbly grateful, we will be protected in prayer and protected from the self-sins that threaten to derail us," Larson writes. "If the Spirit of God convicts us for our wandering ways, we're wise to humbly respond and thank Jesus for his mercy and grace."
Think about Jesus. What a radical concept!
Susie Larson says that's exactly when we should turn back to Christ and bask in the wonders of his grace. That's when we must pray.
Rather than thinking about how hopeless we are, we should gaze at God and drink in the truth about what he has done for us. The Christian life is not about us, but about him.
"When we fall or fumble the ball, the worst thing we can do is stay in the dirt and berate ourselves for our weakness," Larson says in her book Your Powerful Prayers: Reaching the Heart of God. "Why? Because Jesus says it is precisely in our weakness that we can know his strength and power."
The devil loves it when we wallow in our weaknesses and accept his condemning words.
As I noted in last week's post, Larson declares that Christians should realize that, in God's eyes, we are heirs with all the privileges of children of God. We are not orphans who should cringe in the Lord's sight and beg for crumbs from his table.
Still, many believers - myself included - have approached the Lord with diffidence. We have worried that God must be unhappy with us for our failures.
Larson says that "the moment I catch myself feeling or acting impatient, suspicious, or unloving, I think about the Lord".
"I look past my weakness and I look to the cross. I remember that my Jesus who died in my place is pure and loving and patient and kind. All the things I'm not at times. And he has imparted his righteousness to me."
She praises him "for a grace so priceless that I cannot, for the life of me, wrap my brain around it".
She adds: "Still it's mine. And I worship."
Some may think this attitude leads to people assuming they have a licence to sin.
"I'd say the exact opposite is true. Jesus himself said those who have been forgiven much, love much (Luke 7:47). That's certainly been true of me."
As she thinks about the Lord, she considers the characteristics that draw her to him - his might, his patience, his kindness, his care for the poor and oppressed, his faithfulness.
"He is discerning, unwavering, and keeps his word. He loves humility, hates pride, and refuses to be manipulated."
In her book, she goes on at length with other things she loves about Jesus. She urges us to reflect on Jesus every day.
Even so, we can fall again once we begin to think we can stand on what we have accomplished. We must recognize that God is good and that he has poured out on us gifts and grace that we do not deserve.
"If we stay humbly grateful, we will be protected in prayer and protected from the self-sins that threaten to derail us," Larson writes. "If the Spirit of God convicts us for our wandering ways, we're wise to humbly respond and thank Jesus for his mercy and grace."
Think about Jesus. What a radical concept!
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