Finding Fault, Or Finding The Father (God)

Wow, how we tend to criticize, and find fault.  

But scripture is clear:  "God is sheer mercy and grace; not easily angered, He’s rich in love. He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold, nor hold grudges forever.  He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve, nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.  As high as heaven is over the earth,  so strong is His love to those who fear him."  (Psalm 103:8-11, The Message).

 

There’s a great story about a married couple who were having a string of arguments.  But they were committed, and so they searched for a way forward.  Well they thought and thought.  Finally the wife came up with an idea.  ‘I think we’re arguing because we don’t know what irritates us.  So let do this,” she said.  “Let’s create a ‘Fault Box’ for each of us, dropping in whatever irritates us, each and every day, for 30 days.   

Well the husband ‘rolled his eyes,’ but said OK.  And with that, the wife had the time of life, joyously dropping in all sorts of negative things about her hubby.  Things like:  not putting the top back on the jelly jar, placing wet towels on the bathroom floor, not putting dirty socks in the clothes hamper, and the worst of the worst: leaving toothpaste all over the bathroom sink!   

Well at the end of 30 days the wife announced it was time to exchange ‘Fault Boxes.’  Not surprisingly she insisted her husband open his box first.  And so, he did, dutifully reading 30 slips of paper, containing his 30 faults. But then it was his wife’s turn. And sure enough her ‘Fault Box’ was also filled with 30 slips of paper.  But surprise, surprise: all the slips were the same!  You see rather than writing a different message each day for 30 days, the husband wrote the same message over and over again.  The message? “I -- love -- you!”

Guess what:  your fault box is filled with the same message:  “I love you.”  And it’s from the greatest source of love ever: Father God.  For God doesn’t focus on faults, God focuses on redemption, believing grace must have the last word.   

You see ultimately we 'get down' because we believe faults will have the last word; that sin and screw-ups will conquer.  But sin and screw-ups need not conquer.  God can conquer, having the last word...if we let Him.   So don’t 'get down'; get motivated, claiming the victory of God!

For "God is sheer mercy and grace...He’s rich in love. He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold, nor hold grudges... nor pay us back in full for our wrongs...[for] so strong is His love..."  (Psalm 103:8-11, The Message).