In this third episode of our four-part series, the team covers lie number three from the book Search For Significance. This lie tells us that because I have failed, I am unworthy and deserve to be punished. This lie results in self-loathing or blaming others for our failures. Consider a time when you have failed. Did you look inward, or did you blame somebody else for it, and you became the victim? If you took it upon yourself, did you look at the failure as an isolated incident, or did you turn it into a character trait or who you are? Did you find yourself saying anything to yourself like:

If I fail, then I'm totally unworthy.

I'm a failure. It's just who I am.

I didn't just fail once. I am a failure.

God's answer to this problem can be found in the Bible in a single word - proportion. So what does that word mean? It simply means God took on what our due punishment was for being sinners and released us from the debt of it. He came, loved us despite our failings and sin, and took our sins, shame, pain, and failures on the cross. He took all of that so that we could be released from it. He replaced our sin and shame with His love and righteousness.  

So when we live this lie of wanting to place blame, whether, on ourselves or someone else, somebody has to be punished for it. But we can free ourselves from that because God says, "You don't have to live under this anymore! When you feel unlovable, when you mess up, or when you fail. You don't have to punish yourself or anyone else for that! I took all that on me so you can be set free!"