When life seems to treat us unkindly, it may or may not be our fault.  When natural disasters strike we can not control the situation.  In flooding conditions we strive to deter damage with sandbags, or other options, but these efforts may only defer some of the damage.  The illnesses we face are not always our fault either.  We may contribute to our illness by improper health care, but illness comes to good and evil people alike.  And there are times when we make a bad choice, a wrong decision, which brings about serious consequences upon ourselves.  Such situations are our fault and no one else's.

The remedy of these "self  sins" rests in God's loving concern.  In spite of all the worlds sinfulness, God loved enough to send into human flesh a Savior.  Christ lived to show humanity the way toward righteousness. Our acceptance of the teachings of Jesus helps us see our sins more clearly, opening the door for repentance, allowing us to discover God's forgiveness.  And upon our acceptance of God's forgiveness we are sent on our way with his blessing and promised continued support.

As we live on this side of Easter, we praise God for making possible spiritual growth, enabling each of us to know that in our imperfections God can make useful servants, just as he did the fearful and frightened disciples, the denying Peter, the doubting Thomas and the persecuting Saul who became the missionary Paul.

The great example of prayer Jesus taught puts us all in the hands of a loving God when we practice that part of the prayer, "forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us."  Therein lies the saving grace that redeems us.