Feeling Down for Doing Wrong?

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (NLT)

Do you ever get down on yourself for what you seem to keep doing wrong?

Maybe you feel like you’ll never measure up to some sort of impossible standard. It may be a self-imposed standard or one you feel has been forced upon you. Either way, focusing on this unrealistic set of expectations and your failure to meet them isn’t helping you.

First of all, focusing on everything you’re doing wrong doesn’t help you to do right. Christians often think that beating themselves up for their wrong-doing helps prevent them from doing it again. But it’s simply not true. In fact, focusing on what not to do only makes you more prone to do it again.

The second problem with focusing on your failure is that it causes you to pull away from God because you begin to think He’s angry with you. This definitely does nothing to help you in life! God isn’t angry with you. You need to move toward Him and toward His grace—the free gift that gives you the power to change.

Thoughts of condemnation have no place in your life if you’re a child of God—you’re blameless in His sight (Colossians 1:22). There’s no condemnation for you (Romans 8:1) if you’ve accepted Jesus because He has made you right with God.

So… instead of focusing on what you’ve done wrong, remind yourself of the right standing you have with God and the new creation you’ve become in Christ. Become aware of His strength, grace and power in you and you will access more of it in your life, which means you’ll be empowered to change and grow.