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Moving Past Sinful Failure
April 21, 2011

How should we handle moments of faith-failure, when we’ve damaged the kingdom of God in the eyes of our friends and family or dishonored God in our actions?

We can learn from King David after his humiliation in the Bathsheba scandal. Though the terrible consequences of that sin could not be avoided, he found his way back to a relationship with God that made it possible for him to continue to serve Him. We too can find our way back.

David’s pattern in 2 Samuel 12 serves us well: We need to declare our error candidly (v.13) and seek God’s forgiveness. Then we can ask God that others be spared the consequences of our actions (v.16). Finally, we need to recognize that sometimes the consequences simply cannot be avoided and must be endured. While we always mourn those consequences, we can’t allow them to so consume us that we cease to be servants of God (vv.20-23).

Satan not only delights in the moment of our failure but also in the spiritual inactivity that sometimes snares us in our remorse. When we’ve blown our witness, we are and should be humbled. But we should not multiply the damage by retreating into silence and obscurity as ambassadors of Christ. We can move past failure.

Action Suggestion
If after you’ve confessed your sin to God, you still suffer
with guilty feelings, memorize Proverbs 24:16 and
1 John 1:9 and ask God to help you believe His Word.

God forgives our sins completely
to restore us to His presence and service.

Read: 2 Samuel 12:1-23

I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins. —Isaiah 43:25

Bible in a year:
2 Samuel 12-13; Luke 16

David's story is interesting. Beloved of God, anointed, his youth spent in fleeing Saul, his many many battles, escaping capture. Close calls, his friendship with Jonathan , his leadership of the men that were outcasts of various types who joined him and fought for/with him, and how thy followed him. His wives. How they came to him. His Kingship. His children, he was a poor father, ignoring their evil deeds. Failing to teach them, Bathsheba was with him to the end and the mother of Solomon. Solomon and Absalom each attempting to become King after David. Lots ot glory, blessing, hurt, danger, hardship, and strive from his own children. He was a man after God's own heart and wrote many of the most beautiful Psalms.

Little is mentioned regarding his own brothers after Goliath. Guess they were not of importance. The LORD God promised him his seed would sit on the throne in His Kingdom.

Praise God. He has made a way for us to be with him forever.. Amen.

He gives hope for flawed men who love God.