Day 709 of Giving Thanks - Darci Escandon

I’m not perfect. Are you surprised to hear that come from my mouth? I make mistakes. Sometimes the mistakes are little, sometimes they are whoppers. However, what God has shown me is that when I make them, I act like a rebelling child. Have you ever rebelled since becoming a Christian? Have you ever told God "I don't care, I am going to do it my way" when He is trying to keep you from doing something that is going to harm you? Sadly, I have. I feel like Paul when he wrote

“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” ~Romans 7:15 (English Standard Version)

When i sat down to write this message this morning, the enemy told me not to do it because if I confessed that I mistakes and am not “perfect” then "they (the world) will know you mess up and how could anyone want to be associated with or encouraged by someone who messes up like this".

The enemy doesn’t want me to move forward, he wants to keep me down and to just give up. But, that’s not me. I am never going to give up. I am going to do what God wants me to do, Be what God wants me to be... and stumbling is part of the growth!

So, what did I do as I was drowning in regret of my mistakes? I searched scripture out. I sought God out. And guess what, He showed up and He led me to the following:

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” ~James 5:16  (New International Version)


“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” ~Romans 7:16 New International Version (New International Version)


“Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” ~Proverbs 19:20-21 (New International Version)

I was reminded of how David rebelled and even that Peter was told by Jesus, "Oh yee of little faith".

Life is hard no ifs ands or buts about it. We are still human and we still have our flesh to deal with. Not one of us is perfect. If we were, we wouldn't need God. That's why I am so grateful for being broken. When I am broken, that means that I allow God into my life to fix me the way only He can. That doesn’t mean I am going to continue to rebel and ignore God’s voice in my life. Quite the opposite, I am going to pray and work harder to head the voice of God in my life.

Psalm 51 

"Generous in love—God, give grace! 

Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record.

Scrub away my guilt,

soak out my sins in your laundry.

I know how bad I've been;

my sins are staring me down.

You're the One I've violated, and you've seen

it all, seen the full extent of my evil.

You have all the facts before you;

whatever you decide about me is fair.

I've been out of step with you for a long time,

in the wrong since before I was born.

What you're after is truth from the inside out.

Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.

Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean,

scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life.

Tune me in to foot-tapping songs,

set these once-broken bones to dancing.

Don't look too close for blemishes,

give me a clean bill of health.

God, make a fresh start in me,

shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.

Don't throw me out with the trash,

or fail to breathe holiness in me.

Bring me back from gray exile,

put a fresh wind in my sails!

Give me a job teaching rebels your ways

so the lost can find their way home.

Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God,

and I'll sing anthems to your life-giving ways.

Unbutton my lips, dear God;

I'll let loose with your praise.

Going through the motions doesn't please you,

a flawless performance is nothing to you.

I learned God-worship

when my pride was shattered.

Heart-shattered lives ready for love

don't for a moment escape God's notice.

Make Zion the place you delight in,

repair Jerusalem's broken-down walls.

Then you'll get real worship from us,

acts of worship small and large,

Including all the bulls

they can heave onto your altar!"

~Psalm 51 (The Message Bible)

Dear Lord, my heart cries out to you in praise and thanksgiving. Thank you for showing up in my life, for loving me enough to discipline me, and for speaking to me, warning me not to go at this life alone. Please forgive me for my rebellion and I ask that you bring me back to the straight and oh so narrow path. Amen.


© 2011 Giving Thanks Daily, Darci Escandon                  
Web: http://shawnsgivingthanksdaily.blogspot.com/