One day in church–it was  Good Friday, as I recall– I was sitting in the back of the church and a dad was quietly explaining what was going on to his young son.

I thought, “I never did that with my kids. No wonder they say they don’t believe in God now.” I felt guilty, and confessed my failure as a parent.

Guilt and a sense of failure is something I hear a lot from clients. It’s one of the “heart issues” that few people can get away from.

God’s reaction to me that Good Friday took me by surprise. Very distinctly in my spirit, I sensed him say, nonplussed, “Of course you failed.”

He added, “I don’t expect anything else. That’s why I died. And remember, I rose, and it’s all okay, because I’M the one who makes it okay.

“You are forgiven….”

I realized it’s my own perfectionism (and pride) that make me think I can be anything but a failure. I’m not beating myself up by saying this; quite the opposite.

I’m free to fail, as a parent or in any other way, because I am a sinner and Jesus is the one who took care of sin, once and for all. So now I’m forgiven and can stand in the truth that he can redeem anything.

If only I believe … but even then, if I don’t believe “enough,” that’s okay, because I can’t do that either, and Jesus believes for me.

Isn’t Jesus wonderful?

That was my personal Good Friday sermon.????