“Errare est humanum” is a Latin phrase meaning “To err is human.” As a Christian, I strive for holiness and perfection since my Father in Heaven is holy and perfect (1 Pt. 1:15-16; Lev. 11:44-45; Mtt. 5:48). While this is the ultimate goal of every Christian, we understand that it is an unattainable objective on this side of heaven. That is why we must put our faith in Christ as our substitution. He did what we could not, perfectly following the Law of God, then took the wrath of God on our behalf so that we may have His righteousness imputed unto us (2 Cor. 5:21) and be forgiven of our sins.
In my effort to live righteously and follow all of God’s commands, I often find myself falling short and failing in this endeavor. Afterwards, I tend to be in a spiritual haze of sorts and my desires get all flipped around. For an indefinite time frame, I no longer want to read the Bible, pray, fellowship, or go to church. What I feel like doing is to just sit in self-loathment and condemn myself for my wrong actions. I think what often happens in these instances is that the Holy Spirit will use these negative feelings to convict us so that we can turn towards God for forgiveness; however, the enemy will twist these around and have our feelings of conviction be turned into feelings of condemnation. Then as I start to condemn myself, rather than turning toward God for forgiveness, I flee from Him. I was once sharing my thoughts about this with a pastor friend of mine last summer, and he made the comment to me that it seemed as if I needed to practice receiving God’s grace.
God no longer condemns those who have put their faith in Christ and have received His Spirit. For through the indwellment of His Spirit, we are declared righteous before God. (Ro. 8:1-11). While it is easy for me to want to flee from God after my failures, the truth of the matter is that God is patiently waiting for us to run to Him and accept His forgiveness. The feelings we have to run away from God in the midst of our failures are from temptations of the enemy and the weaknesses of our flesh. I have the desire to lift myself up from my spiritual haze by my own power. I want to isolate myself and just wait for the haze to pass over. But I find that the best cure for getting over self-condemnation is to turn to Him who no longer condemns us.
When I am struggling spiritually, I need be faithful and follow God through it; not condemn myself and flee from Him. The times that I have remembered to take this approach instead of isolation, the spiritual haze seemed to pass much more quickly. Which when I think about it, shouldn’t at all be shocking. When I isolate myself, I am trying to heal my spiritual state by my own power. When I look towards God and accept His grace and forgiveness, I am letting Him heal my spiritual state through His power. And unlike my personal efforts, God is actually capable of healing our spiritual state; and He is eager to do so.
Our Father wants nothing less then to call us back to Himself and to restore our relationship with Him (2 Cor. 5:16-21). That relationship had already been restored at the moment of salvation and continues to be so. Just as God is faithful in forgiving us despite our failures, we need to be faithful in following Him.
Standing on My Knees 