Backsliding: to FALL or to CLIMB

Hey readers! Sorry I haven't been keeping up to date with my blog, but I've just been going through some personal and internal issues. I have not just backslid from regularly writing on here but also in my life, which is what this post is about.

I've been doing so well living "right," even misleading people to think that I'm this innocent little girl.

But I'm not.

I'm done with acting like the victim; acting like I don't know what I'm doing....because I do.

You may be surprised to discover that I do have my share of sins just like everyone else. I know I look "perfect" to some people and that's because I am held to a higher standard but I must take responsibility over some of the happenings of my life. Yes, life happens and temptations are bound to arise...but I should not act like I never had any desires. I am human, I have desires --- EVEN as a young, Christian woman, I have desires. But we act like this is some type of unspoken anomaly. We all have desires, but we have to be honest with ourselves with what they actually are and in what context they should be allowed to run free. 

I've made too many mistakes to count, but I know it will never be enough to separate me from the love of God. As Romans 8:35-39 states:

"35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

You're working hard, climbing, and everything's going smoothly...then, you slip.

YOU make the decision of what to do after that! There are 3 options: either you

fall-where everything goes downhill and gets worse

stay put- stuck, nothing changes, you mope around, which can lead you to falling down the more you beat yourself up

move forward-getting right back up but stronger

I choose to MOVE FORWARD. It's not about becoming numb or oblivious about what you have done. It's about acknowledging that things did happen and you left yourself unguarded, but you are NOT going to dwell in your guilt. You are UNCONDITIONALLY loved, meaning NOTHING can separate you from the love of God. Yes, there may be some consequences you must face but if you keep your head down for too long, how are you going to see His grace and mercy if you don't allow yourself to even look up for even one second?

Your mistakes DO NOT define you. All in all, God makes all things new and so, you no longer need to feel ashamed. If you are His, you are CLAIMED. When you are claimed, He will NEVER LET YOU GO.

Grab His hand and climb.

-mula sa aking puso, Ginelle Bulanadi