Insight for Today
A Daily Devotional by Pastor Chuck Swindoll

Here is the fourth important fact from God’s Word related to the subject of abortion.

Fact four: Recovery and return to a fruitful life is God’s desire for all of us. Our heavenly Father, though He disciplines us and brings us to brokenness, has no interest in our living out our lives under the constant severity of His discipline. Discipline happens for a period of time and then God’s grace comes to our rescue, giving us fruitfulness and purpose as we go on beyond the immobilizing impact of the guilt and shame of our failure.

But the question is how. Let me list a four-step process that will help you get back on your feet. What is needed?

First, a full acknowledgment of the wrong that was done. Have you fully acknowledged the wrong of your past? If not, take care of that now. No more defensiveness. No more excuses. No more human reasoning or logic, trying to convince yourself otherwise. Rather, a full and complete acknowledgment of the wrong of your action is needed. Agree with God in every respect that the sin was wrong, and it is without excuse or defense.

Second, genuine repentance following the confession. Not much is said or heard these days about repentance. Too bad. It is a necessary part of finding full relief from guilt’s bondage. Repentance is a change of reaction from defense to a full acknowledgment. From an attempt to excuse one’s sin to an absolute and unguarded realization and admission that the whole of it was wrong, accompanied with a desire never to repeat it.

Third, in the process, we claim the cleansing God offers. As we work through the process, we can lay claim to the cleansing God offers.

Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. (Psalm 51:2)

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7)

God often uses forgiven individuals to assist others. What a great opportunity to minister to people when we work our way through the process of full cleansing which follows full forgiveness! Those who have gone through an abortion and found forgiveness and cleansing might be on the verge of a ministry you never dreamed possible.

Fourth, deliberately refuse to allow the adversary or anyone else to hold you in bondage to former sins. Some need help to work through this process. Yes, some need a paid, professional Christian counselor to assist them through the therapy of recovery. Others may need a pastor. It isn’t uncommon to need direct assistance to get beyond nightmares and shadows of past wrongs. Ultimately, it may alter the direction of your future, but it doesn’t mean you are finished, washed up, and shelved. God’s desire is that you go on with the rest of your life.