There are times when my sin rings in my ears. It chimes repeatedly, reminding me I am weak and covering me in shame. At times, unworthiness pounds at the doors of my heart in an attempt to lay siege to my identity in Christ. When I feel under the pressure of my own failings, it is easy for my focus to be misplaced. It gets lost in the fight between who I am in my own ability and the truth of who Christ says I am in Him. This chaos can lead me to drown myself in distraction. Knowing I can’t win the fight in my own strength, it is easy to bunker down in a self-made refuge.
We are sinners. It is the reason we need a Savior. While we aim for righteousness, it isn’t something we can pursue in our own strength and ability. We will falter. We will fall. In those moments, we are given an opportunity to grab hold of the truth or try to escape into a feeble fortress of deception and distraction. Peace and freedom come when we choose to trust God and listen to the truth found in the Word of God and whispered to our hearts by the Holy Spirit. He is the only one that can break us from the bondage of sin.
He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14
To the church at Colossae, Paul reaffirmed the truth of our redemption and all that God did on our behalf. Because of Him, we have been rescued. We are no longer trapped by our sins. We don’t have to listen to it condemn us on repeat or accept the shame it hands out. God has transferred us into the Kingdom of the Son, and we have been redeemed and forgiven. There is no place for holding on to sin or letting unworthiness slip into the heart. In Christ, we are righteous despite our failures.
These verses are ones I am in the process of committing to memory for times I want to hide after I have messed up or failed. They are not only a great reminder of where my freedom can be found, but are also the perfect words for a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord. That helps my focus on God and all that He has done through Christ Jesus. It breaks the impulse to self-protect, and realigns my thinking toward the One who already rescued me.
Let’s make the choice to stand against the fiery darts of satan that would accuse and bind us. Instead, walk in truth with consistent movement forward. See your sin, lift it up to God, and accept His perfect sacrifice through which we have forgiveness.