Be Kind to Yourself – The Presidential Prayer Team

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. – 1 John 1:8

Do you ever beat yourself up mentally for sins, stupid mistakes, or character flaws? These things have a way of sticking and circling in a person’s mind. All of these imperfections are common to humanity. In fact, today’s verse says if you say you have no sin, you’re deceiving yourself. Why do people, especially believers, expect to be perfect?

Jesus said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Though several Bible verses say to be holy and perfect as God is, Paul said, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own” (Philippians 3:12). Jesus is the only human who was ever perfect. While believers are called to be like Him, mistakes, faults, and sins are inevitable.

The verse following today’s says when you confess your sin you will be forgiven (1 John 1:9). Does that include the stupid things you do even when you’re trying to do what’s right? Paul says to “encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Begin with your self-talk. Be kind and forgiving toward yourself and it will be easier to be kind and forgiving to others. Ask God to help you not think more highly of yourself than you ought to (Romans 12:3), nor lower. Pray for the leaders and citizens of the nation to adopt a healthy self-view, humble before God, yet confident that He loves people and performs a good work in them as they yield themselves to Him in Christ.

Today’s Verse: 1 John 1:8

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Romans 8:1-11

 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ²For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. ³For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. ⁶For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. ⁸Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

⁹You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. ¹⁰But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.