When Pain Lingers, Grace Still Holds
Even the cracks left behind by sin’s scars can become places where God’s light shines through.
Devotional Credit: Immeasurably More by Ray Stedman
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Ray Stedman reflects on the sobering reality of consequences. God told Israel, “I have done these things to you,” making it clear that He takes full responsibility for the unfolding of their history. Their pain was not random or meaningless but tied to their sin. Stedman reminds us that this is not only Israel’s story, but ours as well. We are not spectators to an ancient tale. The principle of sowing and reaping runs through all of life.
Paul says plainly that whoever sows to the flesh will reap corruption, but whoever sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life. Forgiveness in Jesus covers our sin completely, yet the temporal consequences of sin remain. Choices made in selfishness, pride, or indulgence leave marks that forgiveness does not erase. The nail may be removed, but the hole in the wall remains. Stedman notes this is part of God’s natural law, a reminder that sin, whether visible and shocking or quiet and hidden, brings its own fruit.
This perspective can feel heavy. The thought that the sins of youth may rise to haunt later years is sobering. Yet, even here, God does not abandon His people. Though Israel reaped what they had sown, God remained faithful, working His mercy and grace into their lives. He does not leave us alone in our pain. Instead, He walks with us, redeeming even the brokenness caused by our own choices.
Stedman’s words remind us that life is not aimless. Each moment is a sowing, either into the flesh or into the Spirit. We do not live without consequence, but we also do not live without hope. For those who belong to Jesus, even the painful harvests of past sin can become opportunities to experience His mercy, His presence, and His restoring love.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My child, do not despair when you face the lingering pain of past choices. I have forgiven you fully in Jesus. There is no condemnation for those who are in Him. Yet you may still feel the marks of what was sown in the flesh. Do not see this as My rejection but as My faithful reminder that the path of sin cannot bring life.
I am with you even in the pain. My mercy surrounds you, and My grace sustains you. What was sown in selfishness may leave scars, but I am able to bring healing within the wound. I do not waste even the consequences. I weave them into your story as places where My strength is shown, where My presence proves unshakable.
Remember, you now sow in the Spirit. Each act of trust, each yielding of your heart, is a planting that will bear fruit in eternal life. Do not look back in despair, but look forward in hope. For what you plant today in Me will bring joy tomorrow. You belong to Jesus, and His life in you is greater than the past.
Scripture References: Galatians 6:7-9, Romans 8:1, Hosea 10:12, 2 Corinthians 9:6, Hebrews 12:11, Romans 5:20, Psalm 103:10-12, Joel 2:25, Romans 8:28.
Real-Life Analogy
Imagine spilling coffee on a white shirt. You quickly rinse it, and though the stain fades, a faint mark still lingers. The shirt is clean, yet the fabric bears the memory of the spill. Sin can be like that. In Jesus, the guilt and shame are washed away completely, but sometimes the earthly marks remain.
Today, when I notice scars from past choices, I can turn to the Lord and say, “Lord, I trust You to live Your life through me in this moment, using even what was broken to reveal Your mercy.” Instead of despairing over the mark, I can see it as a place where His grace continues to hold me.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, I thank You that even when my past choices bring pain, I am fully forgiven in Jesus. I rejoice that You never leave me in my scars but turn them into testimonies of grace. I affirm that what I sow in the Spirit today will bear fruit in Your life tomorrow. Thank You that I am not bound to panic or regret, but to hope and confidence in Your faithful presence.