No Shame. Only Love.

Have you ever felt shame over your struggles? Like no matter how hard you try to crucify those patterns and “die to self,” you just keep messing up? Like seriously, this is going to be the last time that Jesus forgives you for this. same. stinking. Sin. That His grace is going to somehow dry up and run out because you just can’t seem to make yourself get it together? I know that I can relate to these feelings on a very deep level, in more than a few different areas of my life.
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This verse spoke to my soul this morning, in the midst of my mess. Jesus is not unable to relate. He has been exactly where we are, dealt with the same struggles and temptations. I truly don’t think that He endured this solely to prove Himself better than we are by being able to withstand and not sin. No, friends, He humbled Himself to this so that He could relate to us and love us exactly where we are! 
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See, it truly is hard to empathize with someone until you have been in the very painful place that they are. I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that as hard as it was for me to endure and as much as it shook my faith, without God allowing me to walk the road of miscarriage, I would not be able to help the dozens of women that I can help now. I would not be able to relate to their hurt and I would not have perspective. Would I choose to have another miscarriage? Absolutely not! But I have seen the hand of God through my experience. 
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You guys, Jesus CHOSE to go through the very struggles that we are going through for the sole purpose of being able to love us in the midst of our messy. He did this so that we could confidently draw near to Him and allow His mercy and grace to wash over us. We don’t have to feel any shame in the presence of Jesus. Only love.