A while back, my department used to have weekly meetings where everyone would share what they were working on and the challenges they were having. The meeting usually lasted about 30 minutes and was quite high level. On one of the meeting days, I thought it was business as usual and did not review what I had been working on before the meeting, I thought I would just give an overview of what I was working on before the next person was asked to speak. However, on this day, the meeting was different, and I was asked to speak about my project in detail. I stumbled through some areas and was very embarrassed and angry with myself for letting my manager and colleagues down. In fact, I lost my peace and could not sleep for several days. The devil kept whispering in my ears, you will be fired!
I started praying about it and asked God for mercy, but I refused to let go of all the anger and negative thoughts I had in my mind, so I became miserable, worried, and generally not in a good place.
On one of the nights, after my prayers, the Lord said to me “my peace I leave to you” – John 14:27 and reminded me that trials and temptations will come but he has given me the grace to overcome and He will not let the trial or temptation overwhelm me. That day I let go of all the fear I was carrying and handed my burden to the Saviour. I stopped worrying and decided to be the best I could be at the job.
After two weeks, I had a meeting with my manager and tried apologising for that day, but she was confused. She did not notice I did not do well at the previous meeting. In fact, she commended the work I had been doing and passed across the commendation of another manager. The Lord opened my eyes to see the lies the devil had been selling to me.
The devil is still in the business of selling us lies to take away our joy. Whenever we fall from grace, he keeps reminding us about the sin and makes us feel we cannot go back to the Father. I have good news for you today, Romans 10:9 tells us that if we confess our sins, and believe in our heart that Jesus is Lord, we will be saved. In fact, God immediately forgets that we ever sinned! Isaiah 44:22, “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins, return unto me for I have redeemed thee”. God gave me a clean slate before my manager, and He can do the same for you.
So, my sisters, there is no need to dwell on that sin, ask God to forgive you and forgive yourself too. God’s forgiveness is not conditional, let us embrace it and stop allowing the devil to steal from the abundant life God has prepared for us.
Shalom.
By: Sis. Jumoke Iyoha