John 8:1-11
We know that God promises to comfort us (Isa. 66:13), but will He be there if the affliction is one we brought upon ourselves?
Many believers ask this question, and they often assume the answer is no. However, the Lord does not condemn us for sin—in fact, Hebrews 8:12 says He forgets our sin. What remains are the consequences of our wrong actions. If we turn to God, He will guide us through the painful fallout.
Remember the woman dragged before Jesus by the Pharisees? She had been caught in adultery, which was a violation of the Law. The religious leaders were prepared to stone her to death, but Jesus spoke to her with compassion. Although He in no way condoned her sin, He did recognize that she was already facing consequences for her unwise choices. He forgave her, saying, “Go. From now on sin no more” (John 8:11).
Nothing we do can ever separate us from the love of God (Rom. 8:38-39). One way He expresses that love is through the promise of comfort when we hurt, even when the pain is self-inflicted. We can allow shame to chase us away from His loving arms, convinced He wouldn’t offer encouragement to one who disobeyed. Or we can believe Scripture, which says He is “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3).
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 46-48
