By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

[Background: A reader wrote earlier this week: "Benescke, I have a problem: Even though I want to shine Jesus' light in my everyday life, I at times feel as if I'm failing. Throughout the week, I listen to many sermons and speak to my children about the Word on a regular basis. Yet, I still struggle to control my anger and with discipline to keep regular quiet times with God! Please help!"]

Have you recently felt like this? Perhaps you too decided to get up earlier in the morning to spend time with God or to eliminate a particular "problem area" in your life (for instance your love for gossip stories; cursing; lies; overeating; your anger; or maybe your constantly complaining about everything). Initially, everything goes well, but then you oversleep a few mornings in a row or you stumble in a moment of weakness and sin again. As you sit with that empty bowl of ice-cream on your lap, the guilt haunts you and makes you too ashamed to talk to God about it!

This is where the enemy wants to keep us. Filled with shame, stripped from our boldness to speak to God about our sin. Paul understood this. In Romans 7:15, 24, he writes: I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate, I do . . . What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” Then in verse 25 he gives an important answer to his question: “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

As long as we are on earth, we will have to fight the sinful nature within us. This keeps us dependent on God. In Romans 3:23 we read: ". . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Also in 1 John 1: 9 we find hope when reading: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Do you feel far from God due to sin and therefore your perception that you are no longer acceptable to Him? That is a lie. Just as a father would forgive his own children on earth if he sees they are sorry for a transgression, our Heavenly Father will do the same. He loves each of us and desires to have a relationship with us. This is the reason He created us. Let's run to Him, knowing that He already is waiting for us. God bless.

Father God, thank you for loving me as I am. Please help me to make the right choices in difficult situations. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

• Assignment for the day: Is there something in your life that makes you feel guilty and robs you from your freedom to spend time with God? Identify it and talk to God about it. This breaks the hold the enemy has.
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• Feedback: Share your testimony of God's breakthroughs in your life or give feedback at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. I would like to hear from you. Benescke