How often do you dwell on your mistakes? If you’re anything like high school Michael, then probably a lot! Not all of us are wired the same way, but there seems to be a common thread during the teenage years of being hyper aware of the things we aren’t proud of and then dwelling on those things. This awareness can often lead to a spiral of guilt and shame, resulting in feeling pretty down in the dumps…

We know that God loves us, and we see it most clearly in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. The greatest act of love in human history is Christ dying on the cross and bearing our punishment. Jesus Himself tells His disciples this before He is crucified. In John 15:13 He says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”