Welcome Encouragement for Today friends! I’m so glad you hopped over after reading my devotion! I’ll explain in just a minute how to enter today’s giveaway. But first I want to share 3 ways we can replace our guilt-induced doubt with grace-infused confidence pulled from Day 12 of my “60-Days to Stop Doubting Yourself Confident Heart Devotional“:
“She never thought anyone would find out about their affair, but now her secret and her sin would be public.
Just as the people gathered in the temple, surrounding Jesus as he sat down to teach them, the teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had be caught in the act of adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus,
“Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.” (John 8:2–6)
They hoped Jesus would condemn her, but the opposite happened.
Instead of lording over her, Jesus lowered Himself before her. Grace knelt down to write on the ground. {tweet this?}
“But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. (vv. 6–8)
The Bible doesn’t tell us what Jesus wrote but I’ve always wondered if it was the Ten Commandments, since her accusers said Moses’s law commanded them to stone her. Plus, after writing, Jesus challenged them to examine their own sins and see if any of them were without fault.
When Jesus stooped down to write a second time, perhaps He wrote over the law with redemption. Could it be that He covered the commandments with words like grace, forgiveness, and mercy. Scripture doesn’t say. But we do know that something radical happened. Everyone dropped their stones and walked away.
“At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?'”
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (vv. 9–11)
In my Proverbs 31 Ministries devotion today, I shared about a time when I really blew it and guilt convinced me I was no longer qualified for my calling. But God used my friend and spiritual mentor/mom, MaryAnn Ruff, to show me what the redemption of God’s grace looks like. And ever since that day, Jesus has been teaching me how to replace my guilt-induced doubt with His grace-infused confidence.
3 Ways to Replace Guilt-Induced Doubt with God’s Grace-Infused Confidence
Remember: Remember sin is not who you are; sin is what you do.
Although Jesus knew this woman had sinned, He made sure she and the crowd knew her sin was not who she was. It was what she had done.
Her sin didn’t get the final say. Jesus did.
Refuse: Refuse condemnation, but lean into loving conviction.
They hoped Jesus would condemn the woman, but the opposite happened. Instead of lording over her, Jesus lowered Himself before her.
When you fall into a trap of the Accuser (Rev. 12:10), close your eyes and picture Jesus – the person of Grace – kneeling down before you, looking into your eyes and loving you out of your sin.
Ask Jesus to help you recognize condemnation’s accusing statements like “You’re a failure” or “You can never be counted on.”Refuse to listen to his lies. Instead lean into God’s loving conviction that is specific. Instead of a broad, sweeping you-are-a-loser label, Jesus will point out our sin and show us what to do to right the wrong.
Instead of “You’re such a failure,” God might say: You were critical in the way you talked to _________ . You need to say you’re sorry and ask forgiveness. Then tell _____ something to build them up.
Replace: Replace the guilt of sin with God’s redemptive grace.
In the presence of Jesus, the woman’s accusers walked away. He dismissed them one by one, until He was the only one left standing. He replaced their position of authority. He was the only One left speaking into her life.
Jesus help me replace my guilt-induced doubt with God’s grace-infused confidence. @ReneeSwope {click to TWEET}
God’s grace lures us out of darkness; His kindness leads our hearts to repentance. (Romans 2:4)
He wants to draw us away from destructive behaviors that hinder our relationship with Him and others, so we can live in the freedom of His forgiveness and the security of His love.
Lord, You say there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, and my life is hidden in You. Thank You that because of Your love and grace, my sin never gets the final say about me—You do! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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This devotional hit home!! One thing I struggle with is remembering that my sin (or someone else’s sin) does not define me (them), but how God sees me (them) is who I am!! Thanks for the reminders!!
This story is such a beautiful story. It’s one of my personal favorites of the Bible, although we don’t hear about it too much. The love of Jesus amazes me more and more each day.
Here is the correct email address. I have saved the 7 Day Doubt series that Renee sent so long ago which then prompted mean order of her book entitled Confident Heart. So helpful at the time I read it.
I have the 7 Day Doubt series still saved in my gmail account that Renee sent so long ago. So helpful!
Thank you for that heart reminder
I have 7-Day Doubt emails that you sent saved in my computer!
This is exactly the message I needed to read today after saying words that left me feeling guilty. It was like a tiny miracle in my inbox!
I struggled for years with depression and occasional outbursts of rage. This deeply affected my children, my husband, me. I have been healed and forgiven. However, just last week, after a disagreement with my oldest child, I questioned her further and found that she harbors deep anger toward me and the enemy has used this to make it even bigger, even worse than it was. I began the battle with deep guilt again. I have asked her for forgiveness, but she has not yet responded. I am praying for her and my other children. The enemy is using my sin and her unforgiveness to enslave her to this deep seated anger. Though I have been battling the enemy against that familiar guilt, I know WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED. And I know who I am in Christ Jesus. Now, my prayer is for deliverance for my child(ren) and how I can help with compassion and whether or not to tell them my story. They are all adults now, perhaps some explanation will be helpful.
This is a very difficult place, but God is God and I trust Him.
Thank you for your encouragement! I often struggle with Mommy guilt when I don’t get things right. Thank you for the reminder that God’s grace is bigger than my guilt.
It’s so easy to want grace but at times extending grace can be so hard. We feel wronged and forget we have wronged others. What a perfect illustration thanks for posting.
The devil has been trying hard to bring up past sins and weaknesses; thank you for the reminder of the grace of our Lord & Saviour! I can stand firm on those truths. Thank you for serving our Lord as a teacher!
Thank you! God used you to set my focus back on Him. I praise Him and thank Him for you!
When reading this devotion today, I felt a sense of relief because I do mess up all the time. I go to worship services on Sunday’s and I feel God’s presence and receive his forgiveness for any failures that I confess to him. I feel like I finally have a grip on this. Then I go home to my not so great marriage with my alcoholic husband and within a matter of minutes I’m back in my usual state of turmoil. I try to keep quite but the devil just keeps pushing negatives at me until I fall apart. Your devotion today shows me that I’m not alone and I will continue to pray for my husband as well as my attitude and wait on the Lord for his healing power in my life. The visual that you offered that suggests seeing Jesus kneel in front of me to write in the sand that I am his and forgiven was wonderful. Thank you for your devotions…they help me on a regular basis.
I would love to work through the guilt of my past and present. I have packed The Confident Heart book for my vacation to the beach next week. I am looking forward to taking my time and reading and absorbing the message.
I pray my husband to be convicted of God’s love.
Perfect timing for the perfect words for my daughter (and of course me). I’m always looking for ways to share the love of the Lord with adult daughters who don’t want to hear it from their mother. When a good book comes along that is perfect in content as well as length….one that I know they will read and glean insight, I purchase it and pass it on…..thank you for your words of encouragement.
My heavens….just this past week I have been doing the “humanly thing!” I have been “trying” to control everything going on with me, at me, and even assuming some thoughts that I don’t even know yet. I have been trying to control..my emotions, feelings, technicalities of relationship course 101, and even assuming some responses that have not even been spoken to me yet….I think I may have a case of Joyce Doubt Control” and “Joyce’s Protection before Anyone Strikes Me. In other words… I am trying to “control” everything plus some of others. Do you know hoe exhausted I have become each day and night?
God has been trying to ask me…”Slow down. with Grace, Gratitude, and Love for Joyce!”
Renee, the idea God and you- writing His thought…has awakened me.
God loves me, God cares about me, and God wants me to “cool” and let go of my Guilt…( is that why I am trying to “control” everyone and everything)
Ah, it may be so…thanks Renee
Thank you for this beautiful reminder of God’s living grace for us, for me. Far too often in my life I have allowed the guilt to speak louder than God’s grace. And for quite some time I have been focusing on the guilt instead of His wonderful grace. Thank you for helping me to put my focus where it needs to be this morning. I pray I can keep it therè today.
What a beautiful reminder! It is so easy to let sin define who you. Guilt is a huge weapon of the evil one. We are defined by God’s grace.
I have been struggling to find my way – this devotion is and will continue to help me find Grace when I need it most and remember that I never deserve it – I’ve always been confident but I haven’t been for some time now and I feel so lost in guilt