Optimist’s Roundtable

By Martha Sykes

There was a teen who got distracted on his phone and caused his family to be late for church one Sunday. After receiving “ that look” from his mom and knowing his dad was disappointed in him, he bent his head in the pew but heard his pastor say that God loves us even when we make mistakes. He wasn’t feeling very good about himself at that moment but it made him think.

We all get distracted at times, we all make mistakes, and maybe feel like we are not worthy of God’s unconditional love, or His mercy. His Grace surrounds us every moment and we would not be who we are today without that amazing grace.

When we take communion at church, we are reminded of how much God loves us by the sacrifice that His Son, Jesus made for us on that cross.

That boy in the story was reminded as he took communion that Sunday and as he realized that maybe if God could love him even when he makes mistakes, then he could love himself.

One of my favorite quotes is “ Please be patient, God isn’t finished with me yet”. It’s all a lifelong learning process to realize how Jesus really does love us in spite of our flaws and our weaknesses.

In Philippians 2:3, the apostle Paul says” for it is God who is at work in you”. We are His workmanship and He knows our faults and our hearts; and He still loves us.