Will God forgive me for using His Son’s name in vain?
Question:
I was reading your web site about using God's name or Jesus' name in vain. I was reading it because this morning I made a big, huge mistake! My 10-year-old daughter was asked to sit next to her 9-month-old brother on the couch so that I could grab his bottle from the kitchen. She sat next to him and held onto him, but then got up and he almost fell from the couch. I screamed out in fear the Lord Jesus' name. I was so afraid that he was going to fall that the words came out of my mouth before I even realized what I had said. I am so ashamed and feel so horrible now. I have never done that before and I don't know why I did it now. Is it the devil at work? I have asked for forgiveness, but does God or Jesus forgive us for this? Thank you so much for your time and help.
Answer:
Don't take this as me coming down hard on you personally, but I'm always amazed at how little faith people have in what God said. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:8-9). Notice the use of the word "all." God said He will forgive if we confess our faults, trust Him to do as He said.
As far as the cause: yes, it is Satan's doing. We hear people around us and on television taking the Lord's name in vain constantly. We would like to think that it is not influencing us, but in a moment of panic or pressure when our guard is done, what we habitually hear comes out of our mouth. Thus to battle this problem the best thing to do is limit the amount of junk that goes into our minds. Instead, find wholesome things to occupy your thoughts. "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you" (Philippians 4:8-9). It won't eliminate the struggle, but it will ease the pressure.
