The Real Test Is When You Fail

 Let's get one thing straight. Nobody is perfect. None are without sin. This is why Grace is so important and necessary.

A friend of mine said to me many months ago,

"We all love to talk about Grace, and profess it's awesome power and security, but the real test is when we fall. How do we feel about Grace after we've fallen? Do we still believe in it's power, completeness, and security? Or do we revert to type - in self condemnation, guilt, shame, and a desire to clean up on our own?"

I noticed something I had never noticed before a few days ago whilst reading the parable of the prodigal son.

The bible tells us;

'After he had spent everything there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.'
Luke 15 vs 14-15

In other words his natural instinct was to sort out his mess himself. He felt too ashamed to go back to his father. He believed that since he got himself into the mess he had no right to ask his father for help, and therefore had to sort his mess out himself.

It is after 'he came to his senses' (Luke 15 vs 17), that he recognised the truth that he could run to his father.

We often behave in the same fashion today. We make a mistake, and then feel that because we made the mistake we must sort it out ourselves - that we have no right to run to our father in heaven for help.

But just as the prodigal son's father was delighted to see his son, and welcomed him with open arms, so too our heavenly father welcomes us with joy and open arms when we run to him for help - even after we've made mistakes.

Grace exists especially for our mistakes and failures.