When You Feel You've Let God Down

I watched the sunset outside my window—a dwindling blaze of red and gold thrusting Pikes Peak into the foreground. It seemed a metaphor for my day. A mountain of imperfect decisions and choices displayed against God’s goodness and beauty.

Have you ever felt as though you let God down?

How Our Perception Clouds Spiritual Insight

The disciple, Peter, knew what it meant to let God down. Part of Christ’s inner circle, he denied Christ three times before the crucifixion. An ardent defender of the Lord, Peter pledged his love to Jesus hours before His arrest—even mauling a man accompanying the arresting party. Before the night passed, Peter spoke the haunting and traitorous words, “I do not know him.” (Luke 22:57)

Like Peter, my mouth proclaims allegiance to the Savior. But my actions sometimes deny the truth of how He transformed my life. Received, rescued, and redeemed me. Do you relate? Does sin ever creep into your life and whisper, “What a disappointment to your Shepherd. You call yourself a Christian?”

Friend, scripture reveals that our shortcomings lack the power to overcome the One who conquered sin. John 21:1-4 (ESV) provides a beautiful picture of the love and relationship the Lord extends—even when we feel we have let God down.

After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

Perhaps a dense fog wafted along the shoreline, hindering the vision of Christ’s closest companions. Maybe the bright morning sun shone in their eyes—preventing a clear view of the Rabbi with whom they spent three years. Or, might grief, pain, or shame have occluded their spiritual insight?

Jesus continued, Children, do you have any fish?” (John 21:5 ESV)

Do you know the story? At Christ’s command, those in the boat lowered their net into the water. After enduring a futile night of fishing, the net teemed with such abundance the men struggled to haul its contents onto the boat.

Then, recognition dawned. Desperate for the presence of the Lord, Peter plunged into the sea.

Have you, too, experienced moments in which darkness obscured your vision? Allow the light of Jesus to flood you with truth. Allow the light of Jesus to flood you with truth. The Lord calls to you and me. He extends an invitation of communion.

Why Do We Feel Like We’ve Let God Down?

We may believe we’ve let God down for a variety of reasons.

Like Peter, some of us may have made decisions we regret. Long-term choices that continue to impact our lives. Others of us, like Paul, grapple with our daily imperfection, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15 ESV)

Giving heed to the lies of the Enemy, we believe sin separates us from his goodness and grace. Yet salvation refuses to to rely upon human inadequacy. The Lord calls to you and me. He extends an invitation of communion.

Salvation refuses to to rely upon human inadequacy. #whenweletgoddownCLICK TO TWEET

Instead, our eternal position rests in the One whose arms embraced death and freed us from sin’s bondage.

Have you professed and believed on the name of Jesus? He offers life abundant. A life of provision. A life bursting with hope—like a net cast into the Sea of Tiberius. Our feelings inaccurately represent His immeasurable grace.

1 John 2:1 (ESV) reminds us of His mercy, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Others Who Struggled with Sanctification

The men and women of scripture struggled with the process of sanctification, as well. Like them, recognition of our failure can spur us on as we “run with endurance the race that is set before us”. (Hebrews 12:1 ESV)

Consider the following:

• Righteous Noah, who God rescued from the flood, fell prey to drunkenness. Even though Noah’s vulnerable state resulted in a curse, his earlier obedience led to one of the greatest rescues in history.

• Abraham, doubting God’s promises, impregnated Hagar and introduced pain into the lives of his family. Yet God set him apart as a special nation. A chosen people.

• David, a man after God’s own heart, committed adultery and executed a murderous plot against the woman’s husband. While David and his family dealt with the horrible consequences of his decisions, David penned poems and prophecies.

• Deceitful sin youth, Jacob stole his brother’s birthright. A wrestling match with the angel of the Lord, however, left the man forever altered—leading God’s people with a limp and a new name.

Six Verses to Encourage You When You Feel You’ve Let God Down

• Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16 ESV)

• The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;
  he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love;
  he will exult over you with loud singing. (Zephaniah 3:17 ESV)

• Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! (1 Chronicles 16:11 ESV)

• He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3 ESV)

• “…let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
  let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:7 ESV)

• Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. (Proverbs 28:13 ESV)

Final Thoughts

Christ died for all our sins—past, present, and future. None of what we do, or don’t do, surprises Him. We can rest in the promises of the Lord, buoyed by the reassurance that His love proves more powerful than any of our actions or inactions.

Peace and grace,
Tammy