What I’m about to say isn’t in any way an excuse for sin. In fact, I just finished preaching about temptation, and the good news of the Gospel is that Jesus’ death not only provides forgiveness for our sins, but it releases us from the shackles of temptation, and it gives us the power through the Holy Spirit to say “no” in the face of temptation. However, there will still be moments when we sin, and David’s life is a prime example of this truth. It’s also an example of how we should handle sin. When confronted by Nathan the Prophet, David willingly admitted his transgression and sought forgiveness from the Lord for it. David’s acknowledgement of his sin didn’t, however, erase the consequences. He still suffered through the death of his new child, but his repentance was real, and God forgave him. David didn’t continue walking down the path of sinful indulgence; he moved forward. The consequences were real, but so was his repentant heart before the Lord. That’s why David was known as a man after God’s own heart. There will come times in your life when you give in to temptation. Unfortunately, it will happen. The question is what you will do after. What story will your life tell? “I messed up, so I decided that all was lost and walked further down the path.” Or, “I messed up, and I sought forgiveness. With His help, I turned around and started heading the right direction.”