Boiling Point

Have you ever reached boiling point? You’ve been trying so hard to do the
right thing, and in a weak moment, you sin. Your temper bubbles over,
scalding hot. Your good intentions vanish, and you lose it, only later to
be overwhelmed with guilt and failure. All is not lost.

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I’ve had those days when I’ve blurted out angry words. I’ve allowed harmful
thoughts to fester rather than asking God to deal with them. Unforgiveness
has strangled my heart when I’ve allowed others’ hurtful behavior or
comments to control me. Other times, my head has been so preoccupied with
worry that I’ve briefly abandoned God in my self-absorption. If, like me,
you have a tendency to overthink things, these are some of the strategies I
use to help me:

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1. Remember no one is perfect. In Romans 3:23-24, Paul reminds us that we
all fall short of God’s glory, but He doesn’t give up on us. This is a
hopeful message. I have to remember I am an imperfect and flawed human in a
dysfunctional and broken world, just like everyone else. As a result, I
will inevitably mess up and even repeat the same failures several times.

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2. Don’t dwell on past failures. While it’s wise to learn from what I’ve
done wrong, dwelling on all my past failings isn’t what God wants for me.
Instead, He gives me complete forgiveness through Jesus, and He promises to
walk with me on my journey. Because Jesus died and rose again for me, I can
believe in Him and receive His forgiveness.

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3. Most of all, I need to focus on Jesus. And not only after I’ve sinned,
but also when I am tempted (Hebrews 12:1-3). The good news is that
Jesus—who lived among us as a human but is also fully God—knows firsthand
what it’s like to be tempted, and He understands my weaknesses (Hebrews
4:14-16). Jesus never sinned, but He took my sin and promised me that
belief in Him is lifechanging. His Holy Spirit lives inside Christians,
transforming us to be more and more like Jesus. Even though I will sin at
times, He is always there for me when I stumble.

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4. Remember God’s love never changes. Although the stresses of life may
weaken our resolve at times, God’s love never changes. He understands us
deeply and will never stop loving or forgiving us. Isn’t that amazing
news? • Cindy Lee

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• Do you ever get frustrated with your own imperfections or the ways you
have messed up? Jesus invites us to come to Him and rest in His sure
forgiveness. How could you practice this today?

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• If you’ve wronged someone, what could you do to make it right, such as
apologizing?

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Oh, what joy for [the] forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Psalm
32:1 (NLT)

Read Verses:

Romans 3:23-Romans 3:24; 1 John 1:8-1 John 1:10; Psalm 32:1-Psalm 32:5