Beyond Redemption: Am I Forgivable?
During my teenage years, I was faced with several traumatic experiences, which resulted in the onset of some self-destructive behaviors on my part. The sudden death of my fiancé was when I really started to spiral down into sin and destruction. There were times when I disobeyed God. I harbored resentment toward Him because of the anguish and suffering that I was forced to go through.
I had reached the point where I simply did not care what the future held for me. But as I began to experience a growing sense of complete isolation in my grief and sinfulness, I prayed to God for direction. The devil had not wasted any time in trying to convince me that I was beyond redemption, which is why I am so thankful that my Savior quickly delivered me from my poor choices. It was very challenging for me to avoid falling for the lies told by the devil, but I clung to the Word of God and persisted through it all. After making a conscious effort to read the Bible on a regular basis, I was able to unearth a great deal of motivation, as well as the encouragement and hope that I needed to make better decisions.
For as long as I can remember, the wonderful teachings and letters of the Apostle Paul have held my attention. When I saw such divine love and obedience in the life of a man who had been the worst of the worst, it gave me inspiration. It is difficult to fathom how Paul was once Saul—a murderer who was motivated by rage and evil and who was set on eliminating all of God’s children.
Paul, in his capacity as an apostle, readily acknowledges this fact on different occasions. Through his teaching, he instilled the confidence that it is never too late to find salvation and forgiveness, regardless of the choices we’ve made in the past.
The following passage from 1 Timothy is just one example of Paul’s teaching on this subject.
Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that comes from Christ Jesus. This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:14-16 NLT)
Thank You, Father, for believing in us and giving us all the hope and truth for redemption.
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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
