Remaining Close to Jesus Christ so that my heart doesn't condemn me again!

  For 38 years, I allowed feelings of guilt, self-condemnation and fear of failure to rule my heart. Then, through a crisis that occurred on October 20, 2008, I reached up to God for help. http://dlouyoung.blogspot.com/p/my-personal-testimony.html#!/p/my-personal-testimony.html God responded saved me and began a new work in my heart.

Over the past four years, I have walked hand in hand with Jesus Christ, each day learning more about my relationship with Him. Although I now comprehend that through Christ, I am a new creation, still, sometimes I allow self-doubt to creep back in. Recently, I doubted myself again. http://dlouyoung.blogspot.com/2012/08/was-i-still-so-self-righteous.html#!/2012/08/was-i-still-so-self-righteous.html For a brief moment, I had completely forgotten that the “old Donna” had passed away. I had forgotten that I was forgiven! Yet, God is sovereign. He wouldn’t allow me to forget who I had recently become. In fact, the minute I started to participate in self-condemnation, God reminded me of the gift of His love.

First, God had me read Isaiah 52. "Sit down, O Jerusalem! Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion!" (NKJV). As I read, I tearfully accepted God's personal message to me. God was reminding me that I am under His special protection. Therefore, I should have no fear that I might return to my past rebellious ways.

Then, the following day, God led me to read Psalm 139. God reminded me that it is more profitable to mediate on His divine Truths and apply them to my life than to dwell on my past mistakes.

Next, I turned on the television. Suddenly, a Pastor began speaking about the message found in Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (NKJV) Again, God spoke to my heart. "Let go of self-condemnation and the burden of your sin!"

I was starting to recall the righteousness I had found through Christ. Still, just to make sure that I had heard Him; God reiterated the same message through yet one more Pastor. Unbelievably, the next thing I heard was 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 ^“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,  that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”  (NKJV) I told myself out loud, “I am a new creation in Christ because I returned my heart to God.”

By the time the week was over, my heart had healed and once again, I felt restored. Today, I feel spiritually strong again. Still, I think I’ll stick close to my loving, comforting and almighty Friend, Jesus Christ. Perhaps this way, I will soar on wings of eagles instead of doubting the righteousness I have found.  

Please share your thoughts in the comments section below!

To read this author's personal testimony please go to:

http://dlouyoung.blogspot.com/p/store.html