Victory Over Shame and GuiltSample

# God wants to give you life [IMAGE CONTENT] When I was young, we lived in a high-rise building. I was playing with a friend on the fourth floor balcony when we saw the boys, including my brother, standing together down below. My friend encouraged me to give my brother the middle finger, just because. Though I loved my brother, the pressure to impress my friend was stronger, so I did it—and got grounded. That day of all days, too, we had visitors over! So everyone was outside playing…everyone but me! This example is a very childish one, of course, but I believe it could be translated into many different situations in our lives. Jesus tells us, "'The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.'" (John 10:10, NKJV) The life God wants to give you is the very life the enemy wants to steal from you through sin! That day, I had listened to the wrong voice, and as a result, sin was stealing the joy of my day. Not only that, but I started thinking things like "My parents don't love me anymore." Do you see how quickly the cycle of sin, shame, and lies can take over? When you find yourself in such a cycle, it's so important to break it! You do so with the truth, which starts with acknowledging your own mistakes. The day of my house arrest, I went to my parents and apologized: "Mom, Dad, I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry." And do you know what happened next? They were no longer angry with me and immediately allowed me to play outside again! In the same way, you, too, still have the opportunity to go before God and ask for forgiveness today. If earthly parents can be so generous with love, how much more generous will your Father in heaven, who is Love itself, be with you? You are a miracle! Déborah