Step 7: I Humbly Ask God to Remove My Shortcomings

STEP 7

I Humbly Ask God to Remove My Shortcomings

Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. (NIV)

                   The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were always in an attempt to entrap Him, but Jesus always outwitted them. During one of those times, the religious leaders brought before Jesus a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. The religious leaders wanted to see if Jesus would abide by the teachings of Moses, or would he go against their laws so that they could find reason to accuse Him or wrong doing.  John 8:3-6 ⁽³⁾The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁽⁴⁾and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁽⁵⁾In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” ⁽⁶⁾They were using this question as a trap in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. (NIV) Jesus knew what was in their hearts to do to him, so his response was opposite of what they expected.

                  Jesus’ response was for the person who was without sin to be the one to cast the first stone. He did not play into the trap that they were trying to set out for Him. He did not say that the law of Moses was wrong for that would have been to say that God himself was wrong. But, He also allowed them to take a look at themselves to see if they were truly in the position to cast stones at someone else. John 8:7-9 ⁽⁷⁾When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁽⁸⁾Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. ⁽⁹⁾At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. (NIV)

Jesus could have immediately had the woman stoned because she was indeed guilty of what they accused her of. However, Jesus did not take the role of judge and jury, but of mercy and grace. He pardoned the woman’s sins and told her to go and sin no more. John 8:10-11 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Hs no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (NIV)

          We all have something in our lives that we need Jehovah El Nose to help us to overcome. NO ONE is perfect and yet, we are to strive for perfection. We will always have shortcomings that we will have to hand over to Jehovah El Nose in order to forgive and help us to overcome. Nevertheless, He is all too willing to give us a helping hand if we turn things completely over to Him. Unforgiveness in our hearts is one of those things that we must turn over to Him. It is not easy to do, but it is necessary for us to allow Him to take complete control, so that it will not separate us from Him and in the end, keep us out of Heaven. Many people have the “shortcoming” of unforgiveness. However, the choice to release it is up to YOU by allowing Jehovah El Nose to take control of your life TODAY.