This meme/photo came from Google images.
We all make messes. When we were children, we rarely thought about the messes we made, such as toys everywhere, mud trekked into the house, dirty dishes left aside, worn clothes tossed in a heap, and the list goes on. Most likely our parents cleaned up after us. Growing up, the messes I made never lasted long because my mother was swift in getting me to clean it up.
As I got older, my messes shifted a bit. I still had a messy room, but I was also making decisions that I quickly learned made messes of my life. Here are some real-world examples pulled from my life: I skipped school and got caught, I was pulled over for speeding and running a red light, I got into a major argument with a friend that ultimately cost me that friendship, and I broke the rules at a Bible College and ended up getting kicked out. Just to name a few.
Messes. Lots and lots of messes.
From these messes, I learned shame and guilt. I knew I messed up. It was entirely my fault. There were those who judged and threw accusations at me without knowing or understanding the truth. I was chastised by my pastor who I loved and respected, and those who I thought were my college friends told me they didn’t want to ever hang out with someone like me. I was broken. This was a time when I truly believed that God had stopped loving me because of the mess I created in my life. There was no way He could forgive me. I had hurt a lot of people. So, I wallowed in my guilt, and the shame grew like a hostile weed in my garden until it suffocated any life I had left. I didn’t want to go to church anymore. Why go when God didn’t want me there? I started pulling away from Godly influences and family because I didn’t feel worthy of being around them.
My story doesn’t end there. The mess I made didn’t define me, but only because of the mercy of God. He found me in my mess and reminded me of my value. It was there, at the age of 19, that I gave myself–heart and soul–to this merciful, longsuffering, and compassionate Heavenly Father.
More to come…
This is a sneak peek from my latest work-in-progress: His Mercy in My Mess.Â
Your work-in-progress sounds very valuable and worthwhile for a lot of people (most of us!). Best of luck with the writing! And have a wonderful week!