Returning to God after I’ve Fallen Short - Your Nightly Scripture - October 24th

Kristine Brown

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Returning to God after I’ve Fallen Short

Evening Scripture

Psalm, Chapter 51

“Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.

Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.

Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.

For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.

Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.

You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.

For I was born a sinner—
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

But you desire honesty from the womb,
teaching me wisdom even there.

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me—
now let me rejoice.

Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.

Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.

Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.

Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you.

Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.

Unseal my lips, O Lord,
that my mouth may praise you.

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.

The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

Look with favor on Zion and help her;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—
with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.
Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.

Evening Reflection

Reflecting on the day can often bring regret over the ways we fell short. When we think about words we said or things we did that didn’t show godly character, we may wish we could rewind and start over. Psalm 51 offers hope for those days when we feel like we’ve messed up.

The psalmist David sought forgiveness for a wrong he had committed. Rather than passing blame on to someone else or making excuses, David turned to God with both repentance and respect.

David recognized how he had rebelled against God. We all fall short at times. Romans 3:23 tells us, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” But when we come to God with our transgression and talk to him with honesty, we open the door to receiving God’s grace and forgiveness.

David also acknowledged God’s power to purify him. He knew only God can wash away our sin. And when our Almighty God “removes the stain of guilt,” our joy will be restored.

David asked for forgiveness. And no matter what the offense, we can do the same. God wants us to bring our mess-ups to him. We are his handiwork — God’s beautiful creation whom he loves and cherishes. Through every confession, we allow God to work in us to mold us into the person he created us to be.

So often, our shame over wrongdoing can pull us into a pit of despair. But God does not want us to condemn ourselves. He wants us to run to him. We know that as we seek his forgiveness, God will never “reject a broken and repentant heart” (Psalm 51:17).

Evening Prayer

Dear God,

I am carrying guilt and regret for the ways I’ve messed up, and I am crying out to you to ask for forgiveness. I repent of my sins, Lord. Forgive me and cleanse my heart. Help me release shame over my wrongdoing. You alone have the power to remove the guilt of my sin and restore my joy.

Thank you for your mercy. You never give up on me, and for that I am grateful. Tomorrow is a new day, and I choose to learn from my mistakes and face the morning with a renewed heart.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen.

How did tonight’s scripture speak to you? Share your thoughts in the Your Nightly Scripture forum discussion.

Discover more spiritual growth resources from today’s devotion writer, Kristine Brown, including 20 Fulfilling Promises from God for When You Feel Empty. Learn more about women in the Bible and gain encouragement to help you “become more than yourself through God’s Word” at Kristine’s website, morethanyourself.com.

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