Living Hope
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3)
When we feel burdened by our sin, when we are overwhelmed with guilt and shame from our mistakes, it can be so easy to fall into feeling hopeless. We lose sight of what good could come from our terrible circumstances, and we forget that the God we serve is so much bigger than all of our mistakes and shortcomings.
Take Peter for example. He was one of Jesus closest friends and companions, and on the worst day of Jesus’ life, Peter acted like he didn’t even know Jesus. After he had denied Jesus not just once, but three times, Peter was overcome with sorrow and guilt for his actions. If I had to guess, I bet Peter was thinking his time as a disciple of Jesus Christ was over. There’s no way he had any hope to get past that.
But thankfully, not only did Jesus forgive Peter, but He reinstated him! He told him that Peter was the solid rock that His church would be built upon. Can you imagine? In a matter of days, you go from making quite possibly the biggest mistake of your life to being told by the Lord Himself that you were getting a second chance. What a beautiful picture of hope.
That’s why Peter makes this statement in 1 Peter 1:3, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” He was giving praise to the Lord for the fact that in His mercy, He has given us hope, despite the fact that we’ve neither earned it, nor do we deserve it.
Our God is a God who can turn mistakes into miracles of His grace. He can turn sins into testimonies of hope and demonstrations of joy. Your mistakes can be a stepping stone, a platform to something great. So don’t close the door on the past. Don’t try to forget the mistakes, because God might just be up to something that will blow your mind and use your past for His Kingdom and His glory. He is not through with you yet. He still has a plan for you.
When we feel burdened by our sin, when we are overwhelmed with guilt and shame from our mistakes, it can be so easy to fall into feeling hopeless. We lose sight of what good could come from our terrible circumstances, and we forget that the God we serve is so much bigger than all of our mistakes and shortcomings.
Take Peter for example. He was one of Jesus closest friends and companions, and on the worst day of Jesus’ life, Peter acted like he didn’t even know Jesus. After he had denied Jesus not just once, but three times, Peter was overcome with sorrow and guilt for his actions. If I had to guess, I bet Peter was thinking his time as a disciple of Jesus Christ was over. There’s no way he had any hope to get past that.
But thankfully, not only did Jesus forgive Peter, but He reinstated him! He told him that Peter was the solid rock that His church would be built upon. Can you imagine? In a matter of days, you go from making quite possibly the biggest mistake of your life to being told by the Lord Himself that you were getting a second chance. What a beautiful picture of hope.
That’s why Peter makes this statement in 1 Peter 1:3, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” He was giving praise to the Lord for the fact that in His mercy, He has given us hope, despite the fact that we’ve neither earned it, nor do we deserve it.
Our God is a God who can turn mistakes into miracles of His grace. He can turn sins into testimonies of hope and demonstrations of joy. Your mistakes can be a stepping stone, a platform to something great. So don’t close the door on the past. Don’t try to forget the mistakes, because God might just be up to something that will blow your mind and use your past for His Kingdom and His glory. He is not through with you yet. He still has a plan for you.
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Let it GoA Prayer for RestorationThe Power of Self-ForgivenessEmbracing FreedomFrom Transgression to RedemptionRelease and FreedomWisdom in ReflectionBlessed Assurance in ForgivenessEmbracing Divine RestTrusting in the WaitingEmbracing Peace in Unresolved MomentsMoving Forward Without ClosureA New Chapter AwaitsRefocusing for a New ChapterThe Danger of Looking BackLet God Be Your DefenseGod's Victory, Not OursThe Author of Your New ChapterThe Faithful Promise KeeperA Promise UnveiledThe Urgency of ObedienceThe University of AdversityThriving in AdversityForging the Future YouTransformative Power of AdversityThe Role of ResilienceThe Gift of EmpathyChanging PerspectiveGod's Purpose in Your AdversityThe Anchoring Power of TrustConsistent in Prayer, Unwavering in Praise
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Navigating Life's JourneyLessons from the Prodigal SonStaying on TrackA Lesson in PatienceTrusting in God's TimingAvoiding the DriftChoosing Your Company WiselyThe Impact of Your Inner CircleThe Call to Responsible StewardshipFrom Rock Bottom to RedemptionGetting My Life Back On TrackWholeness Beyond Rock BottomWaking Up to ResponsibilityFacing the FactsOnly God Can Make Life Worth Living You Can Do ItYour Transformation MattersBreaking Free from ShameGod's Unwavering CareThe Good ShepherdThe Shepherd Who ProvidesFinding Refuge in God's ProtectionGod's Omnipotent ProtectionGod's Unseen ProtectionOverflowing BlessingsA Unique LoveA Divine ExchangeThe Power in His Precious BloodFrom Trials to Praise
March
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