Recovery

Day 4 of pretty much down and out from COVID-19.  This time the test strip had TWO stripes.  😷

Finally feeling well enough to read, I'm catching up in my current "She Reads Truth" reading plan - I Will Give You Rest.

I love this artistic lay-out of Scripture in a paper bound monthly format, but mostly I love that it is made up of ONLY Scripture.  Just me and the Holy Spirit, here on my sun-soaked recliner in our living room - no one else's thoughts on the matter. God doesn't mind if I doze off now and then - He's patient like that.

The passage is John 9.  It preaches!

What jumped out at me is that even though the man was healed, he is still referred to throughout the chapter as "the man who used to be blind" (v 13 and 24 in CSV) or "the blind man." (v.17 CSV)

That's convicting.

How many times does my dark heart identify people with their lowest point?  "If you only knew what I knew..." "Yeah, but Ive seen her..." 

This guy's blindness was not caused by sin, nor received as punishment. (thoroughly covered by Jesus in verse 3), and thankfully I don't refer to people by their disabilities.  But I do often retain a memory of past sins. Past worst moments.  I trust less when people have wronged me or when I've witnessed disappointing behavior.  And I hold on to that defense.  Even of my Christ following brothers and sisters.

"She says that now, but I remember when..."

"He might look joyful now, but you should have seen..."

WHEW.

And yet... I don't want people to define me by my not-the-finest-hour moments, but rather as the saved-by-grace, broken-but-being-restored woman that I am.

Somehow it ties in to the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:12 CEV, "Forgive us for doing wrong, as we forgive others."

Who are you defining by a forgiven or outdated label?