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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Love,Love,Love today’s devotion. especially your admission of the ‘bleeps’. i struggle with taming my tongue when emotions get high. I have been feeling low and unworthy and this was just the reminder that God knows we struggle, understands, and forgives us all if our remorse is sincere. Thank you for letting him talk to us through you. 🙂
Great encouragement for me and for others in my life who are struggling. Need to be constantly reminded of these truths and your devotional will help me to have picture that should help. Thank you!
Guilt is like a leaden coat that drags us down. The devillage piles it on and the way to get it off is to give it all to Jesus and take up His yoke instead.
I will make it easier by the Grace of God and not by my own strength
Absolutely! It is so easy to doubt ourselves when we stay so busy and focused on taking care of our families. We all need a reminder of God’s grace and “reconstruct” instead of “destruct”!
I’m waiting on my divorce from my 3rd marriage. The guilt and shame of this is deep and painful. Thank you for your devotional. I really needed to hear those scriptures this morning.
“When you fall into the trap of condemnation, 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.” Oh my goodness! That brought tears to my eyes! Thank you so much for those beautiful, powerful, and very true words! Just what I needed to read today. I have always loved this story from the Bible, and you brought it to life in this blog post. Thank you and God bless! <3
Sin isn’t who we are, it’s what we do…..we can change our actions but nothing can change who I belong to.
This spoke right to me. I am constantly (CONSTANTLY) struggling with self doubt. I do not feel good enough and secretly wonder how God can continually love me and say “Yes… you are enough” Thanks for sharing!
So many times I have found it difficult to forgive when there has been a wrong that hurt me. Then He reminds me of His unconditional forgiveness, again and again. Thanking Jesus for His forgiveness , which opens our hearts to forgive others.
Such an encouragement to hear that God grace is always enough for us!
Thank you for thoughts today. They were much needed as last week was one of those weeks. Really appreciate the 3 points!
As I read your devotional in my quiet time, my husband started clanging things around in the kitchen and talking to me. Yes, I felt frustration mounting as I read. Then I couldn’t help but laugh as I thought to myself. “I know the kind of frustration Renee must have felt.”
Thank you for your honesty in sharing. Praise God for anointing and appointing you to speak this message to me. I needed to hear God’s voice and message of love and grace instead of Satan’s, which plants that guilt-induced doubt. “Although guilt from the enemy tempts us to give up on ourselves, grace reminds us God never will. Instead, He can take what feels like destruction and use it for reconstruction through our dependence on Him.” My only hope is in the grace and ever available reconstruction God offers when I will admit my dependence on him, and then submit to His authority.
I have felt exactly the way you described in the devotional more times than I can count. I have misbehaved so badly with my mouth and my thoughts that I felt very condemned and worthless and that I might as well give up. What a wonderful reminder that God’s grace steps in and can defeat the guilt that can overwhelm.
A wonderful reminder. Often I am the first to condemn myself, much harsher than others. I also love the grace her church director showed her. I have felt unworthy of being a leader because of my own imperfections.
I have lived over half my life in guilt and condemnation. I am beginning to truly see His abundant grace in every area of my life. It’s a daily struggle but I serve a big God.
Thanks for this timely message. I had a similar experience a few days ago. I said a thoughtless thing and hurt someone’s feelings. I couldn’t sleep until I got up at 2:30 in the morning and sent a note of apology via email. But even after that the next day I kept thinking ‘it is out of the overflow of the heart that the hearts speaks’ so I had to examine my heart and found pride and resentment. It was a hard time but also a good time of repentance and cleansing.
I loved the words you shared today. We all have sin in our lives that we aren’t proud of. It’s a wonderful reminder to know that the sin doesn’t define us. God’s grace gives us a way out. He loves us unconditionally. And, his grace is also a wonderful example of how we should respond when our own loved ones fall into the trap of temptation. I long to be like Christ in all ways, but especially this one. I bet your book is a wonderful read too!
Thank you for the encouragement and reminder that sin is what we do, not who we are. God’s grace is enough.