No Condemnation

Now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

NEVER HAS THERE BEEN better news. Never has there been a better reason to take a deep breath and release all your fears and regrets. If you are in Christ, joined to him by faith, there is no condemnation hanging over you, threatening you, accusing you.

It’s not that you have never done anything worthy of judgment. It is not that all parents just need to give themselves a break. Parents who are outside of Christ, who have not taken hold of Christ, have plenty of reason to feel dread over their failures to live up to God’s standards. But the unbelievable good news for imperfect parents who are in Christ is that all the condemnation we deserve for not being patient enough, for not being attentive enough, for simply not being enough has been laid upon Christ. All of the condemnation we deserve for cutting our children to pieces with our words, for being harsh with our children out of anger, for crushing their spirits with our unrealistic expectations, has been laid on Jesus. This means that God can turn to those who are in Christ and assure us: “There is no condemnation for you. You don’t have to keep on carrying such a heavy weight of guilt and regret.”

When our children struggle, it is easy to find reasons to be quite sure it is our fault. So what do we do with that? We will probably never be able to figure out exactly what causes difficulties in their lives. But when we are convinced that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, we can admit our failings freely, humble ourselves before our children, and begin to find healing together.

Lord, these words —“no condemnation” —are two of the most beautiful words in the world. And yet some days they are hard for me to believe, hard for me to take hold of. On one hand, I’m quick to blame someone or something else for the struggles my kids face. But deep down I condemn myself. Help me to live and love in the reality of the freedom that comes from your grace. And most of all, may my embrace of this gospel truth change how my children deal with the self-condemnation that threatens their peace.