Day 3: Coming Apart

Hold on, be strong 

Don’t give up on me today

Don’t give up on me today

I’m coming apart, don’t give up on me

There are moments in all of our lives when we realize we’ve messed up. We feel pain and despair, even guilt and shame. It is often our own life choices that brought us to this place. Even though we know, deep down, we are responsible for our situation, we hope at least someone out there won’t “give up on us.” We hope we are not too far gone to be forgiven.

The great king David, acknowledging his guilt in committing adultery with Bathsheba, confesses to God in Psalm 51. Then he pleads with God not to give up on him in verse 11 (NIV), “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” God never gives up on us. Only He has the true power to restore us from our brokenness. Holding onto the pain is harmful to our spirits. It’s easy to think that our relationship with God needs to be buttoned up or something we only tap into on Sunday mornings. Just like David in the Psalms and Jesus on the cross, the depth of a real relationship with God comes from when we open up and unleash pain, sadness, and even anger to God. This invites Him into these moments with us. It makes our relationship with Him real. 

It’s easy to spiral into a really dark place when we add shame and guilt to the pain we are already feeling. Having grace for ourselves is a very important part of healing. God forgives us so we need to forgive ourselves and start living lives full of the freedom that God promises us. God will not cast us from His presence. He hears us when we cry out to Him. He feels the pain we feel. He cares deeply about healing our hearts.