JUDAS DID NOT NEED TO END HIS LIFE
While his sin was grievous, his sad end was avoidable. What if Judas handled despair differently?
One thing you must learn how to handle, and of which failure to learn can be very detrimental, is DESPAIR.
Personally, one reason I deeply appreciate the Bible is its honest portrayal of the triumphs as well as shortcomings of the heroes of faith. It doesn’t just present a feel-good narrative; it shows us a genuine representation of our human experiences. We witness their struggles and triumphs, their weaknesses and strengths, and their moments of joy and vulnerability.
A biblical account that always touches me is in 1 Samuel 30, where David and his men returned from battle, only to discover that their town, Ziklag, had been burned down and the women and children had been captured.
The Bible records that David and the men with him wept till they had no more strength to weep. The men even began to seek to stone David. Can you imagine how much despair he must have been in? But David encouraged himself in the Lord and went on to recover all that was lost.
“David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord, his God.”
1 Samuel 30:6 NLT
Our Lord and Savior, Jesus, also had his own vulnerable moments. He described his pain in the garden of Gethsemane as being sorrowful unto death. He knew he was going to die soon, and so he took Peter, James, and John aside to pray with him. He must have really needed that encouragement.
But the story takes a surprising turn when the very people he expected to encourage and pray with him slept off! They all slept! Jesus must have felt even more alone in that moment.
However, he had compassion on them; he was patient enough to keep waking them up; he understood their weaknesses and empathetically said to them, “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”.
Jesus’ response to the disciples shows us God’s attitude toward us when we fall short in our own devotion. We have all been like these three disciples at some point in our lives, wanting to pray but sleeping off, slacking in Bible study and struggling with consistency in devotion.
But you see, the simple fact that you recognize the need to do better shows that you’re not as far from God as you think. The mere desire to pray and study more comes from God!
“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” Philippians 2:13 NLT
God is responsible for that spark and desire in your heart, urging you to rise up and improve instead of giving in to hopelessness. You have to realize that God is not a boss who is quick to rebuke you when you make mistakes. He’s your father and he’s invested in seeing that you grow and get it right in your devotion.
I know you may have failed, but how are you handling it? What is your response to the guilt that you feel? Do you remain there, wishing for the day you’ll finally get it right? Or do you get up and go again, understanding that the Lord is on your side?
This brings to mind the intriguing story of the two disciples who let Jesus down and how differently their stories panned out. Judas betrayed Jesus unto death with a kiss and when he realized the gravity of what he had done, he felt remorseful and committed suicide out of the guilt he felt.
Peter, on the other hand, turned his back on Jesus, refusing to acknowledge any connection to him. He emphatically denied knowing him three good times. One can even argue that his sin was much worse than Judas’. At least we know Judas identified with Jesus, even though his intent was malicious and for his own profit.
Nonetheless, we see the story end differently for both of them. Judas died in guilt, while Peter still went on to fulfill God’s purpose for his life as an apostle. He blessed the body of Christ for many years and even wrote epistles to the early church community.
What if Judas had the mental fortitude to receive the forgiveness of God instead of sinking in despair? They both hurt and disappointed Jesus but being able to receive forgiveness was what made the difference.
You must understand that it’s a normal propensity of the flesh to feel weak and tired and not want to pray.
It’s not always the devil’s doing when you fall short in devotion, but you must not allow the devil to take advantage of your despair.
A lot of people feel bad that they’ve been distant from God, and instead of retracing their steps and receiving the love and forgiveness of the Lord, they keep punishing themselves for disappointing God.
Rather than getting consumed by the feelings of failure and disappointment, why not get up and press on?! Never accept defeat in your devotion; never succumb to the thought that a vibrant walk with God is beyond you and only for a select few.
A major aspect of discipleship and maturity is not just knowing how not to fail; it is also knowing how to respond if you fail.
Like I always say, if you cannot fly, run; if you cannot run, walk; and if you cannot walk, crawl. Just make sure you are doing something. Forget about the mistakes you’ve made in the past and keep moving. Keep on keeping on!
You slept while praying? Wake up and pray again. I would never encourage spiritual oblivion and negligence but it doesn’t matter where you’ve failed before; like Peter, you can go on to fulfil God’s plan for your life.
Never give up on your walk with God!
Did this bless you? Let me know in the comments.
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Thank you sir for this, I will keep at it without giving up, even if afraid, I will still press on
Such a blessing 😘