We stand forgiven at the cross...

I sometimes find that I get depressed as a Christian. There are times when I feel like I am just a worthless sinner, who God should never love. If I was God, I would have given up on me a long time ago. I find myself in a rut were I keep sinning, then saying sorry and then doing it again. I think, 'Why can't I just be good enough? Why can't I be the person that I want to be - glorifying God with my life, feeling full acceptance and just delighting in my position as a child of God.' I had a moment like this earlier this week.

But isn't the gospel amazing! It is the perfect solution to the problem. It's so refreshing and liberating to remember that I am FULLY accepted by God, not because of who I am, or because of what I have done, but ONLY because of Jesus' death. I am so thankful to him - without him I would be lost, wandering blind in this depression just seeking a way to get out of the maze. But in Christ I can be forgiven fully. In Christ I am fully accepted as Gods child, and there is nothing I can do to be more accepted. I don't need to do anything to convince God that I am good, because Jesus did that by clothing me in his righteousness and taking on my sin.

And what greater motivation is there to stop sinning? I can say that I want Jesus in the driving seat of my life, as the Lord and King of it. I can say it because he knows what is best, and he loves me and wants me to grow into his likeness. I can say it because I am so thankful for all he has done, and I want to live for him and please him because I love him and want to serve him.

Of course I do keep sinning. There are times when I will sin having thought about it before hand. I know that that is stupid and ungrateful. I know that it is just damaging to me, those around me and never makes me feel better. I know that worst of all I am just throwing the good things and ways that God has given me back in his face. And yet I still do it. But I don't need to dwell on it and get depressed about it. I can just pick myself up, with the help of the Spirit try not to do it again, and look to the cross. The answer is the same - in God's amazing grace he is forgiving me again and again, and looking at me through the righteousness of Jesus. I don't have to somehow earn my way back into his favour, but the punishment I deserve is laid on Jesus, and I am right with God, at his expense.

So even if I don't feel fully accepted, or quite good enough, I can look to Jesus and know that through the cross I am - through the cross I find full acceptance and if I'm looking to that then I need nothing else!

This, the power of the cross:
Christ became sin for us.
Took the blame, bore the wrath -
We stand forgiven at the cross.