Being freed from sin

[faith&charity]

Hello! i decided to post in the women's forum because i'd like a softer female opinion on this issue.

i've been so overwhlemed by how little i can do for God. I can't seem to stop sinning, every action i take seems to be a sin because i'm not doing it enough or to the greatest extent. I feel hopeless.

i'm afraid my heart hasn't changed enough after accepting Christ to be considered His child. I'm trying to find it i nmy heart to long to be like Him, and i do believe in Him, but at times i just can't feel it. We are supposed to desire to become more like Him, and i feel so overwhelmed by how little i can actually change based on how perfect He is. I've heard that to God, if we've broken one of His commandments, we've broken them all. So why try to be like Him? I can't seem to find it in Him that He can wash this all away, that i can ever please Him, with how many times i sin!

Any advice? Scripture?

[Jeanne D]

Hi faith&charity!

We can never be "good" enough, or "perfect" enough, that's where grace comes into play.

You are being too distracted by worrying about how much you aren't doing for the Lord, instead of focusing on Him, IMO.

All He asks from us is to do the best we can. Do what you know is right, continue to seek Him in all things. He knows your heart and what motivates you, and He also knows you will fail, we all will. The fact is that HE loves you and wants to fellowship with you.

Place your focus on HIM and He will lead you and guide you in all things. Stop "trying" so hard and allow HIM to do His work through you and in you.

Remember always that He loves you, no matter what.

God bless,
Jeanne:hug:

[cnw]

Is it the Holy Spirit convicting you or are you beating yourself up? We can't answer this for you.
We can love you through this time of frusteration.
Is there a certain sin that is really eating at you? work on that first. Pray and try fasting for yourself. Ask God to show himself through you. Ask him to help you walk in the Spirit. He loves you and wants only his best for you.
We are like a big onion and every time we peel a layer back it stinks, but it takes us closer to the core and that is where Christ is.

[Iliana]

Hi,

I think I feel similar to how you do. I always feel so guilty for all the bad/wrong things I've done in life. Somethings I cannot just get rid of either. But the guilt eats at me and makes me really scared about where I'm gonna end up :(

And then just like you said, "i've been so overwhlemed by how little i can do for God." I also feel this so much so often, because I am in a position where I can't really go out and volunteer and make bigger lifestyle changes.
And I also think a lot about how silly and meaningless my job is, I feel pulled in that there is something more I should be doing, something good to help out others, something for God.

....

So then the logic & reason side of me responds to all this which I think is the truth, or God speaking to me :)
(although unfortunately it can be hard to actually follow through with it-and I must constantly remind myself of it, silly as that may sound!)

Yes, you have sinned. So have we all. There's nothing we can do about our past except to learn from it, forgive others and hope they forgive you, and then move on and do our best to not let those things that overtook us before happen again. Everyday is a new day, so try to live it as though it is a 2nd(or 3rd, 4th..etc) chance! God gives us all these days hoping we may turn and follow him for good, although we will surely still stumble and fall(even the apostles did!).

Then as for doing more for God, first ask yourself if you're doing all you can in your present circumstances. Doing things for God starts at home, look no farther. There are probably some improvements you can make to your life. Start out small, "baby steps", just try to do one thing then add to it.
Many times I pray and ask God that he help make it possible so I can go out and volunteer and do this or that like other Christians get to do for Him. But recently I believe he's been telling me this: not now. First get yourself together, and do what you can where you are right now-because there are things you can do!


The things you do for God, to become like Him, don't have to be huge things, just little by little, make steps in that direction. And listen to what he tells you, sit quietly by yourself, and pray to hear--He will help you with your problems, because deep inside the truth is in all of us.


I hope this helps you a little..sorry if I got a bit offtopic, it was as much a rant about my own problems I guess :p

[grptinHisHand]

Good morning, Faith&Charity,
Welcome. I am not sure I've ever spoken to you in these forums. Others have given good answers.

I pray God will help me give you more that will help you.

In this next part - I am not questioning whether you are saved, just wanting to make sure you understand what that means. So I will share a couple Scriptures pertaining to salvation.

1st thing is to know whether you are saved:
Jesus said that He is the Way the Truth and the Life. John 14:6. I'm sure you already know that.

Rom. 10:9-13 is also good Scripture to read, to study:

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
When we come to Him with repentance and invite Him into our hearts He comes in. Then He wants relationship with us more than anything. We develop that through time with Him, in reading/studying His Word and in prayer.
We wouldn't expect to get to know a new friend without spending time with that person. With God it is the same.
Of course, He wants us to be pure before Him. If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 ]
These are words John wrote to the Church, to those who have already received Jesus as Savior and Lord. God knows we are in the flesh and will not be perfect, but wants us to seek to be more like Him. We can only do that by knowing Him, more about His character, His love, mercy, grace.
We are to be a light to the world, not our own light, but letting His light, His goodness, His love flow through us to others. He doesn't want us to go out to try to do THINGS for Him in and of ourselves but to work where He is at work. It is not by DOING that we are saved.
Before we can share Him with others, which is the purpose for which He has saved us. Well, second to the part I already said - RELATIONSHIP with Him.
Each day I pray Scripture, asking God to reveal anything in me that isn't pleasing to Him.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:24 (http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/tools/printer-friendly.pl?book=Psa&chapter=139&translation=nkjv)
I also ask Him to give me a fresh filling with His Spirit so that the fruit of the Spirit may flow through me to others:
Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16
...
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25

His Word is truth. When we pray His Word we can KNOW we are praying in His will.
I've been a Christian since age 13, long time ago! But He is growing me recently - more than ever. It is because I have begun to sincerely search His Word daily, and to spend more time in prayer. To learn just what prayer is. It is more than talking to Him. It is listening to Him and then talking to Him and with Him. Not that we hear Him audibly, but His Word speaks to us, and as we know Him better we can begin to discern His 'voice' in our hearts. Just always be sure that what you think you hear Him saying to you lines up with His Word. That is the way to know it is Him, not our own thoughts or ideas of what He wants for us.
He loves. He IS Love. We are loved, even when we don't do every little thing we think we should. I am not saying we don't 'do' for Him, but it is more important to do what we do WITH Him. Henry Blackaby wrote that we are to 'find where God is at work and join Him.' I like that.
But how can we if we do not know Him?
I truly didn't mean to make my post so long, but I hope you take time to read it all and that the Lord will work in your heart the work He wants to do. Feel free to PM me if you want to talk more.
I am:
grptinHisHand (gripped in His Hand)
and I want to be your friend.:hug:

[faith&charity]

thanks everyone for the replies. :hug: they certainily helped.

i guess lately, it's like i feel that i haven't changed enough of my former self after knowing Christ. i was never the "bad" kid, but i didn't have a real "story" like i went from a druggie and an alcoholic to a devoted Christian. I can't see huge change except that i'm doing things now because Christ did them, not because i was raised that way.

Maybe i have this vision of God just saying "Mary, how can you be My child when you don't do what i ask?" Because i fail at obeying Him a lot, being human! i want to obey Him, but i'm too scared, or too stubborn, etc. Am i rejecting Him in doing those things?

I almost feel like there's no hope for me, like i can't ever see the Light again. That my heart can never be softened, and i can never be confident in my faith. I remember a time when i felt joy just knowing He was there, but i'm digging into the "dying for my sins" part, and i feel so worthless! I'm seen what scum i am!

And if just not listening to Him is a sin, or not taking every single milisecond of my day as an opportunity, then i sin so much mroe than i thought!

[cnw]

I'v seen what scum i am!

Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things
Jer 33:3

We are as filthy rags....Isaiah

the call means cry out with a loud voice. It sounds like you are at that point. May God claim you as his like never before and may you seek him with your whole heart.
God bless.

[grptinHisHand]

faith,
Paul even wrote:
1 (http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/tools/printer-friendly.pl?book=Rom&chapter=7&translation=nkjvp&x=10&y=14#)5 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 (http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/tools/printer-friendly.pl?book=Rom&chapter=7&translation=nkjvp&x=10&y=14#) If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 (http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/tools/printer-friendly.pl?book=Rom&chapter=7&translation=nkjvp&x=10&y=14#) But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 (http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/tools/printer-friendly.pl?book=Rom&chapter=7&translation=nkjvp&x=10&y=14#) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 (http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/tools/printer-friendly.pl?book=Rom&chapter=7&translation=nkjvp&x=10&y=14#) For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 (http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/tools/printer-friendly.pl?book=Rom&chapter=7&translation=nkjvp&x=10&y=14#) Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
Read the surrounding text. all of Romans 7

In the next part he said something similar to your words:

...but i'm digging into the "dying for my sins" part, and i feel so worthless! I'm seen what scum i am!

Paul's words:
24 (http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/tools/printer-friendly.pl?book=Rom&chapter=7&translation=nkjvp&x=10&y=14#) O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 (http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/tools/printer-friendly.pl?book=Rom&chapter=7&translation=nkjvp&x=10&y=14#) I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!

We are all sinners, saved by grace. We are saved from the penalty of sin, in the end we will be saved from its power over us, for we shall be changed to be like Him Who knew no sin.
:hug:
g

[grptinHisHand]

I KNOW, I KNOW...
I just posted before my lunch break! So, WHY, you are probably wondering why I am posting again!

Here is a devotional I got by e-mail today. It says a LOT about how God loves us as a parent loves a child, of His patience, His :hug: - well, here it is, see for yourself.

From the book: The Applause of Heaven


Week of September 19

He Wants to Comfort You
by Max Lucado
My child's feelings are hurt. I tell her she's special. My child is injured. I do whatever it takes to make her feel better.
My child is afraid. I won't go to sleep until she is secure.
I'm not a hero. I'm not a superstar. I'm not unusual. I'm a parent. When a child hurts, a parent does what comes naturally. He helps.
And after I help, I don't charge a fee. I don't ask for a favor in return. When my child cries, I don't tell her to buck up, act tough, and keep a stiff upper lip. Nor do I consult a list and ask her why she is still scraping the same elbow or waking me up again.
I'm not a prophet, nor the son of one, but something tells me that in the whole scheme of things the tender moments described above are infinitely more valuable than anything I do in front of a computer screen or congregation. Something tells me that the moments of comfort I give my child are a small price to pay for the joy of someday seeing my daughter do for her daughter what her dad did for her.
Moments of comfort from a parent. As a father, I can tell you they are the sweetest moments in my day. They come naturally. They come willingly. They come joyfully.
If all of that is true, if I know that one of the privileges of fatherhood is to comfort a child, then why am I so reluctant to let my heavenly Father comfort me?
Why do I think he wouldn't want to hear about my problems? ("They are puny compared to people starving in India.")
Why do I think he is too busy for me? ("He's got a whole universe to worry about.")
Why do I think he's tired of hearing the same old stuff?
Why do I think he groans when he sees me coming?
Why do I think he consults his list when I ask for forgiveness and asks, "Don't you think you're going to the well a few too many times on this one?"
Why do I think I have to speak a holy language around him that I don't speak with anyone else?
Why do I not take him seriously when he questions, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:11)
Why don't I let my Father do for me what I am more than willing to do for my own children?
I'm learning, though. Being a parent is better than a course on theology. Being a father is teaching me that when I am criticized, injured, or afraid, there is a Father who is ready to comfort me. There is a Father who will hold me until I'm better, help me until I can live with the hurt, and who won't go to sleep when I'm afraid of waking up and seeing the dark.
Ever. And that's enough.

From
The Applause of Heaven (http://www.maxlucado.net/shopping6.00/shopexd.asp?id=24411)
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999) Max Lucado