Rhonnie Scheuerman’s Inspiration Station For All In Need This Morning

From top to bottom, our society is success oriented, however one may define the terms of one’s own goals.  Christians are not immune, “Everything  comes out okay for Christians,”  The Kings kids are always winners”  are misleading slogans to the live by.   We develop unrealistic expectations of the Christian life and  ourselves; and then when our wings get broken, we think failure ends our usefulness.

For those of us who know too well the salt taste of failure, it helps to remember that even the great ones of the faith failed, yet God continued to use them, often in a deeper way after their fall.

Some of David’s greatest psalms came after  his greatest  mistakes.  God called him “a man after his own heart”(1 Samuel 13:14).  Abraham lied perhaps to save his skin, yet he is the towering example of faith for three major religions  and is called God’s friend “(James 2:23 ) .

It is those who have plumbed the depths of failure to whom God invariably gives the call to shepherds others.  This is not a call given only to the gifted, the highly trained, of the polished as such.  Without a bitter  experience of their own inadequacy and poverty , they are quite unfitted to bear the burden of spiritual ministry . It takes a person that has discovered something of the measure of his own weakness   to be patient with the foibles of others.

Too often in a quid-pro – relationship with God “I’ve been faithful to you, I’ve ,  worked hard, so please give me this or that.” Or, “, I’ve worked hard so please give me this or that.” Or”I’ve failed again; I can’t expect any blessing: We forget that the whole of our life is grace.

Too many sincere Christians, facing their failures, berate themselves unmercifully and keep asking  God for forgiveness.    Each of us should memorize , hang on the mirror, and make forever our own the ringing truth. ” “:here is now no repeat ), condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

Not only does he not condemn us; he even brings blessings from the ashes of our failure.