Inside Out: A 40 Day Journey to Transforming Your HeartSample

Condemning Heart --> Contrite Heart

How we were parented as a child can often affect how we view God as an adult. If our parents gave us too much freedom and didn’t give us boundaries or rules, we might have enjoyed our freedom to sin as a child or teenager. We experienced continual grace with no truth or consequences.  This hinders our hearts from grasping how sin affects us and others. We might think as an adult that God doesn’t care if we sin here and there, as long as it doesn’t seem to be hurting others. 

If we were raised with lots of rules and consequences, rather than principles to learn how to make wise decisions on our own, we might live in fear and condemnation. We might remember our parents saying, “Shame on you!” or, “I can’t even look at you, I’m so disappointed!” or, “Why would you be so stupid?” Those hurtful words, said in frustration and anger, leave a mark on our hearts.  We feel rejected, leaving us with little hope to regain trust and intimacy. We become people-pleasers with our hearts living in fear of rejection. We experience condemnation in our hearts and think that God, too, must be condemning us. 

If we were raised by parents who led out of grace, showing love and acceptance when we messed up, as well as truth to learn there are appropriate consequences for our choices, we will have lived in a secure relationship with them. We would know that even when we make bad choices, our parents will help train and guide us, but we will still need to take responsibility for what we’ve done. This gives us a healthier view of God as adults. We know we will mess up, but we can always go to Him for His forgiveness, mercy, and grace. There may be ramifications for our bad choices, but God will still walk through the journey with us. 

God the Father is a God of justice. Sin will be condemned. That is why He sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. He wanted us to experience His grace and mercy, not His wrath. Jesus was full of both grace and truth (John 1:14).  Jesus came, not to condemn, but to seek and save the lost. When we put our faith and trust in Jesus, we no longer need to fear the wrath of God.  Our sin will still have consequences on this side of eternity, but when we go before our Heavenly Father, He will see us as pure and righteous because of Jesus. 

Even though God will no longer condemn us, our hearts and thoughts sometimes will. 1 John 3:19-20 says, “By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.” And Romans 2:15 says, “They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them.”  If God says He has forgiven us because of Jesus’ sacrifice, then we must believe Him. Jesus died an excruciating, humiliating death to pay for all of our sins. He took on the wrath of God so that we don’t ever have to experience it. If we continue to live in guilt, shame, and condemnation, we insult Christ and His sacrifice on the cross. 

God does not want us to condemn ourselves when we sin, but He does want us to have a contrite heart toward sin. A contrite heart shows sincere remorse over what we’ve done and a desire to make it right through repentance.  Sin grieves God and harms others even though it is forgiven. Sin still has consequences for us and our relationships. Psalm 51:17 says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Freedom and forgiveness come when our hearts are broken over our sin, and we turn toward God. Our contrite hearts lead us to repentance and to turn from our sinful ways, never wanting to return to that sinful state again. A contrite heart revives us because we know that God graciously accepts us into His loving presence now and for all eternity.  Isaiah 57:15 says, “For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.’” 

No matter our upbringing, let us no longer live in condemnation.  Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Let our hearts be sensitive to our sin so that we are quick to be reconciled to God so we can experience His love, grace, and mercy. 

Take a Moment:

• Where have you felt self-condemnation that you need to let go of at the cross?

• What area do you need to have a contrite heart so that you can experience God’s forgiveness and presence in your life? 

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You that You are full of grace and truth. You lovingly convict me of sin, but because of Christ, You do not condemn me. Help me to have a contrite heart to be sensitive to sin and be quick to repent. May I experience Your love, grace, and mercy so that I can live in Your presence now and for all eternity.  Amen.