Have you ever had an old sin or habit come back and bite you? (raises hand)

Recently something I had dealt with and been forgiven for by God and my friends parked it’s struggle bus in my driveway. It reminded me of what a foolish brat I had been and struggle not to be. Fortunately the friend who I ran over with said struggle bus is kind. We talked things out and I owned all the things, but when I hung up I punished myself all over again.

“Who did you think you were when you did that, honestly?”
“Thought you’d just walk away from this unscathed? Please.”
“You. Still. Suck”

Thankfully the words of a counselor I saw in my teen years (yep… the struggle bus has been around a long time) came back to me.

“Bethany, you have repented and are forgiven by God. When you wallow in shame or punish yourself out of guilt for something that has already been paid for… you are saying that the price Jesus paid on the cross for you isn’t good enough.”

Whoa. #micdrop

I can still see the almost smirk on his kind face, knowing he just struck a chord. Sitting in his office with tears in my eyes. “Could you say that again?” So he did and the weight of my shame lifted away.

I am forgiven and am so thankful Jesus did that for me.