What Do You Do After You Mess Up?

Being saved is not about always getting it right but more about what you do after you get it wrong. Until I breathe my last breath, I will have moments where I fall short. This statement is not a nod of approval for sin but more of a realization that I am continuously being perfected and I daily need the grace of God. Last night I got in a pretty heated discussion with my husband who is also a believer. We were both determined to get our point across and win the argument. Things quickly escalated, and we allowed our anger to get the best of us. Then silence. Within a few minutes after our discussion, conviction set it. We yielded to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and apologies were said and my husband led us in a prayer of repentance. We went to bed forgiven and filled with peace. The narrative could have been a lot different if we continued in our anger. It takes humility to come back and apologize after you mess up. It pleases our heavenly Father when we have a humble heart and will repent after we sinned and not to be dug in and prideful. God knows we are not perfect, but He delights when we submit to being perfected by yielding to the convictions of the Holy Spirit after we mess up. I think about the story of David’s sin in 2 Samuel 11. When confronted about his sin by the prophet Nathan, David did not push past it or make excuses. Instead, He responded in humility and prayed the words in Psalm 51, a beautiful prayer of repentance.

Do you struggle with acknowledging your sin after you mess up? Do you try to push past it and pretend like it never happened? God is not looking to cut us off because we mess up; He is filled with mercy. However, we do the cutting ourselves when we refuse to acknowledge our sin. God resists a proud heart but lavishes his grace on the one who is clad with humility.

Be Blessed

Anika