When We Mess Up

In Luke 15, Jesus tells a parable where a father has two sons. The younger son asks for his inheritance, even though his father is still alive. The father does not scold his son but willingly and freely gives him the inheritance, although it was not the usual thing to do—and the way the son treated his father was very rejecting. The son soon goes to another country where he spends everything on wild living. When his last money is gone and there is a famine in the land, he feeds pigs just so he can live. He then comes to realize that he made a mistake by leaving his family. He decides to go back to his father and ask to take the role not of a son but of a servant. He journeys home humble. When the father sees his son from a distance, he runs toward him, then embraces and accepts him as if no offense was made. Even though his son’s actions hurt him, the father does not hold this against him but rejoices that he is home. Like the son in this parable, we all mess up. Since humans first went their own way against God, we all sin—purposefully doing wrong. So often we do not think through decisions, or we merely follow our passions instead of following the God who loves us. But God invites us to come home to Him by putting our trust in Jesus—who died and rose from the dead to forgive us for everything we’ve ever done (and ever will do) against God. Once you know Jesus, you can rest assured that God will not reject or scold you, even when you mess up. Like the father in this parable, He will not criticize or resent you. He will run to meet you and hug you. Like the son, all you need to do is humble yourself before God and come back to Him. • Golda Dilema • When you mess up, do you find it difficult to forgive yourself or to ask for forgiveness? • Do you ever feel like God will be harsh with you for messing up? You can be honest with Him about this and ask Him to show you what He is really like. Consider taking some time to sit with Jesus in prayer and imagine the father’s reaction to his son coming home in Luke 15:20-24. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (CSB)

Read Verses:

Psalm 32:5; Luke 15:11-Luke 15:32; 1 John 1:9