So You Messed Up...Now What?

"Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
no shadow of shame will darken their faces."
                                                                                         -Psalm 34:5

One time when I was a little girl I had the bright idea to go into the bathroom, climb up onto the sink, and stick a bobby pin into the electrical socket. I have no idea what I was thinking. I don't remember my thought process leading up to the poor decision, but I remember clearly what I was thinking afterwards. The numbness that was shooting up my arm and my blackened finger tips told me that I had done a bad thing. I knew that I shouldn't have done it, and I was afraid of what my mom would do or say when she found out. I was hurt, scared and ashamed.

When I went into the living room where my mom was, I held my burnt fingers tight in my clenched fist behind my back and hung my head. I couldn't even look at her. I tried to hide the remnants of my mistake and did my best to avoid interaction with her, knowing that one look and she would know what I had done.

Now looking back I can see that it was my shady behavior that sold me out in an instant. Mom took one look at me and asked what was wrong. Still afraid to look at her I just shook my head.  Finally, I just led her into the bathroom and pointed to the socket.

Of course, she corrected me and reinforced why this was such a bad idea. But then, like any loving mother would do, she took care of me.   She reassured me that I was still loved even though I had made a bad choice, and she fixed the boo-boo that my mistake had caused.

As adults we can do the same.  We make poor choices and afterwards we see the repercussions and know without a doubt we made the wrong choice. We hang our heads in shame and approach God the same way I approached my mom, afraid to look at Him or even interact with Him because we know He will take one look at us and see what we have done. But the Bible says that those to look to Him for help will be radiant with joy, no shadow of shame will cover their faces. We don't have to hang our heads in shame. We can look to God for help.  He will help us fix our boo-boo, remind us that we are still loved, and the look of radiant joy will return to our once shame-shadowed faces again.

Maybe today you are trying to sort through the repercussions of a poor choice. Perhaps you find yourself walking around with your head hung in shame, avoiding God because of what He might think, say, or do.  Or maybe, after hiding from Him for so long you find your self going back and sticking your finger in that same nasty socket. If any of these describe you, can I first of all tell you, I have been there?  Oh, have I been there. But can I also tell you that you can't overcome it without Him? Jesus paid the price for that sin you are hiding there behind your back. And the truth is, He knows exactly what it is you are hiding. Just show Him. Look to Him for help and He will help you.   Let your Loving  Father fix you up and remind you that you are  loved. Oh how loved you are!