How Did I Ever Get To This Place

 HOW DID I EVER GET TO THIS PLACE?

When I read some things in the Bible I have to smile that bittersweet kind of smile that recognizes, “Been there.  “  I have that kind of experience with these words.

Lord, don’t criticize me when you are angry. Don’t discipline me in anger.  My guilt is like a heavy burden. I am sinking beneath its weight. I did a foolish thing, and now I have infected sores that stink. I am bent and bowed down. I am depressed all day long.

Psalm 38:1, 4-6

How many times do we find ourselves in places like these verses describe – the heaviness of feeling guilty, knowing we said or did something stupid and feeling the darkness of it all.  I don’t like the picture but I can relate to the picture that’s given here of infected sores that stink.  Not nice but sometimes how we feel about where our choices have gotten us.

Part of the problem is that when we began to make unwise decisions, we never dreamed they would take us to where they did.  We might have been naïve or just stubbornly self-willed but we did what we did and never realized what the impact of our behaviour would be on family, friends, or colleagues.

Fortunately when the writer of this Psalm found himself in this ugly place He knew what to do.

Lord, you must defend me. Lord my God, you must speak for me. Lord, I told you about the evil I have done. I am sorry for my sin. Lord, don’t leave me. My God, stay close to me. Come quickly and help me. My Lord, you are the one who saves me.

Psalm 38:15, 18, 21-22

When we get to that place where we hate what we are doing and call on God, He will be there to help us.  The significant question for each of us to ask ourselves is, “Do I hate what I have been doing or just hate the suffering I have to endure?” 

Like the Psalmist, we must come to God and admit that we are guilty of wrongdoing.  We cannot deal with our pain on our own.  Our Heavenly Father waits for us to turn our hearts towards Him and when we do, He forgives us and brings comfort and healing and help.

Heavenly Father, we confess that too often our lives have become a mess of our own making. We have done wrong things and made poor choices. 

We’re so grateful today that we can leave all that behind, not just pushing it out of sight but actually leaving it in Your hands, and receiving the forgiveness and healing You have made available to us in Jesus. 

You are the God who comes close to us and who helps us and so we welcome You to our hearts and lives today.   Amen

Well, if we get a sore that becomes infected we sterilize it and bandage it up and take whatever medicine the doctor orders.  Today, let’s do that with our hearts and particularly our past failures.