Good Enough

If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

1 JOHN 1:9

WE MAY BE GUILTY AS SIN, but God loves us anyway. Yep, we did it. We’ve lied, cheated, stolen, taken more than our share—you name it. We’re guilty. There’s no human on earth who’s not guilty of sin. But God still loves us. In fact, he’s overflowing with love.

Have you ever wondered how God could still love us, even when we’re the misbehavers we are? How could God find it in his heart to forgive us when we sin every day? It’s a mystery, his grace. It’s impossible for us to really understand. A glimpse of it might be in Matthew 18:21-22: “Peter came to him and asked, ‘Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?’ ‘No, not seven times,’ Jesus replied, ‘but seventy times seven!’”

When we truly regret what we’ve done and ask God to forgive us, he does. And his love for us doesn’t change at all. We’ve all made bad choices, but God knows that doesn’t make us bad people. He loves us the same. There’s nothing we can do to earn God’s love—we’ll never be “good enough.” But God is good enough—and his goodness and love cover us even when we mess up.

DO

Do the math. Think about a time when you forgave someone. Was it easy or hard to forgive? Why? Now imagine if that person did the same thing not once but hundreds of times. How would you feel? Now think of how many lies you’ve told in your life—even the teeny, tiny ones. Or how many times you’ve sassed your parents. Or fought with your sibling. God forgives us over and over again when we ask. That’s some incredible math!

PRAY

Dear God,

Thank you for forgiving me over and over again even though I’m guilty. Thank you for never giving up on me or loving me any less. Please help me show others the same kind of forgiveness. Amen.

READ

Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:8