Shortcomings… we all have them you know. You spend any amount of time with anyone and the shortcomings in us all will just rise to the surface. It’s inevitable and it’s human. Although we all have these various shortcomings, it’s what we do with them that makes all the difference.
If you grew up in the church, most likely you are familiar with Romans 3:23, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” Although this verse is dark and heavy, it allows us to see the beauty of the verses surrounding it. The contrast of the verses found prior to it and following it enables us to admire the radiant light the verses bring to this well known portion of scripture and to relish the heaviness that is being lifted from our shoulders. Verse 22 explains to us that we have a righteousness that has been given to us by God through Jesus for ALL who believe. Then verse 24 tells us that our faith in Jesus and his great act of redemption gives us a gift of grace which then justifies us before holy God!
God’s work in our lives is continuous and when the shortcomings arise, and they will, my prayer is that God would always give me the strength to acknowledge them. Why? First, there is freedom and forgiveness accompanied by our confession (1 John 1:9), but also when we acknowledge our shortcomings, our sins, we gain an opportunity to share God’s grace. Being justified freely is a tremendous act of grace that has been given to us through Jesus redeeming us. The price for sin must be paid and Jesus paid our price so that we can stand before God justified, being freed us from all our guilt.
So when your shortcomings arise, use it as an opportunity to give God glory and share how you have received His greatest act of love and grace in your life, even though you fall short. And if you happen to notice the shortcomings of another, be an extender of grace, because just as He has given abundant grace to us, He calls us to give it to another! We are an imperfect people serving a perfect God and I thank God that He is not done working on me!
Romans 3:22-24
This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Highlighting the hope that we have in Christ! 