TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight. Psalm 51:3-4a
Listen: Psalm 51
TODAY’S MESSAGE
Every type of disappointment can be crushing. Disappointment with others and God can stop us cold. But nothing is so debilitating as disappointment with ourselves. Those times when we have done the unimaginable and the unforgivable. When we’ve stepped back and said, “I can’t believe I just did that.” We begin to assess the damage and pain we’ve caused and have nothing to say. There’s no defense for our actions.
David voices that kind of disappointment in Psalm 51. He’s committed adultery, tried to cover it up, and ultimately killed the woman’s husband. Thinking he’s gotten away with it, the prophet Nathan confronts him, and everything is exposed. David’s prayer of confession in this psalm is a powerful example for us. Rather than slide into despair, David confesses his sin and essentially says, “God, this isn’t going to be the end of us. Because you are good, I can find hope in this horrible situation.” David continued to trust in God and his ability to restore.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
In the middle of your disappointment with yourself (whether large or small), write a model prayer something like this, “Father, this failure is not going to be the end of us. I trust in you and your ability to restore even the most broken and damaged situations.” Then, pray the prayer out loud to God. While God hears even our silent prayers, there is great benefit to verbalizing our prayers and hearing ourselves speak them.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
