This Is Not a Test
Ironically, it is often when we do feel inadequate or sinful that
God's love and grace come to reassure us and turn us around. "Blessed
are those who know their need of God, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven." (Matthew 5:3) What is important to God is not our perfection,
as if that were possible, but our understanding that we need God
in order to find our deepest selves. When we know our need of God,
we understand that the world does not rest on our shoulders, that
someone loves us deeply despite our many warts, that we will never
be alone, and that our life is not a test we have to pass. Rather,
life is a relationship with God we simply have to live.

--From the question "What if Christian teachings fill me with feelings
of guilt and worthlessness?"
by The Right Rev. Robert W. Ihloff,
Bishop of Maryland

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