“Am I worth all the mistakes I’ve made?”  Dannah Gresh in And the Bride Wore White found herself at forty something asking that question.  She is a leader of purity retreats, writer of great Bible studies for teenage girls, and is an advocate for God’s best in the lives or our teens.  As her husband held her and assured her “Who else?”, she was not convinced until a teenage girl, she was mentoring, called to celebrate her progress over an eating disorder.  Dannah realized, once again, that it’s not about her.  It’s God’s work.

The miracle in my personal life was that God brought me through a similar situation at the same time I was reading this chapter. My husband shared similar wisdom.  It’s inevitable that we will wrestle with the enemy.  It truly is spiritual warfare.

A sweet young lady from my Bible Study shared with me that God revealed to her heart through the study that mistakes can be fixed.  YES!  You are so right!

I imagine myself at the foot of the cross labeling certain sins that He possibly could never forgive, and I become God. May it not be!  More than anything a mentor and a mom wants to see the child flourishing in the will of God–totally sold out.  What happens when mistakes are made?

Grace happens.

God’s grace is constant and is the healing ointment to our souls and mind.

I am often asked, “But what about consequences?”

Consequences are real.  We have brains, memories, and circumstances do shape us.  Jesus understood that we would struggle with consequences.

“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.  2 Corinthians 12:9

Boast about my weaknesses? Until you know the healing grace of Jesus this makes no sense!  If you lift the word boast from this verse and research the Greek you will be amazed!

2744 kauxáomai – properly, living with “head up high,” i.e. boasting from a particular vantage point by having the right base of operation to deal successfully with a matter.

2744 (kauxáomai) likely comes from the root, auχēn (“neck”), i.e. what holds the head up high (upright); figuratively, it refers to living with God-given confidence.

Glory to God!  Your mistake may cause your head to bow in shame, your heart to be broken, and your bones to feel weak –but GOD!  God is proclaiming that in your weaknesses HE can be made strong, and He can use that vantage point to deal successfully with a matter! He is calling you to hold your head up high and live with God-given confidence. You can’t do this on your own.  It’s ALL about HIM.

As I am writing this, I’m being washed with his healing oil of grace.  Maybe some mistakes have brought consequences that you deal with daily, but do you understand that daily that’s an opportunity for you to share the healing grace of Jesus and the better way?

Our idea of fixed in the human mind is perfection, and God is saying that weaknesses are His specialty.

His grace gives us His strength.

Jesus told the adulterous woman two very important things.  “I don’t condemn you”.  And,  “Go and sin no more.”

He knew that her affairs were destroying her mind and soul.  He wanted better for her.  He extended grace and boundaries.

Our mistakes and grace are a time to live for Him and be set free.

Jesus worked on my husband’s heart and mine in church during the prayer of pastor George.  We both got in the car to head home and realized that his prayer over our hearts and mind were focal points for both of us.  It truly is a battle of the mind and where our heart is.  Jesus shared that our treasures–things we deem important and time worthy– is where our heart is.  It’s a heart thing.  And, from the overflow of the heart, we live, speak, and become. Pastor George shared this verse in his prayer

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8

Don’t let your mind dwell on your mistakes!  FIX your thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable.

Fix your thoughts on JESUS through worship, His Word, and time in prayer.

Jesus is so precious.  I fell asleep to a sermon by Charles Stanley and woke up abruptly to His closing remark–“Jesus says, I love you.”  He had the softest voice.  God was using this pastor and woke me up to hear this statement of love in my life.  FIX your thoughts on Jesus in a purposeful way and He will deliver!