Forgiveness

I, yes, I alone-will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again. Isaiah 43:25 (NLT)

God forgave you but can you forgive yourself?

As a sinner, knowing that I'm forgiven of all things by the divine Jesus Christ is the ultimate picture of grace and mercy. Christ's shed blood for my sins... I am in awe. I am so unworthy and yet so thankful that Jesus loved me that much. Self-forgiveness has not always come easy for me and I still struggle with it from time to time. But then I am reminded that I can forgive myself and others with the help and guidance of my heavenly Father. We only need to follow his example and read his words. The Bible is the one and true resource that we can turn to for confirmation of His complete forgiveness.

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 8:1-2 (NLT)

Being able to truly accept God's forgiveness is the only way that we will be able to forgive ourselves. And until we openly ask and receive God's forgiveness, we will never know how to truly forgive someone else. Forgiveness is our path to true spiritual freedom.

For His unfailing love toward those who fear Him, is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. Psalm 103:11-12 (NLT)

But if we confess our sins to Him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9 (NLT)

So why do we struggle with past sins that God has already forgiven? Why can't we forget about those sins and move on?

Well, for one thing, Satan does not want us to forgive ourselves. He does not want us to be free from this burden that we choose to carry. Satan enjoys tormenting us with our past struggles and sins. As long as we are struggling with our past, we will feel unworthy to stand in the presence of our God, who truly loves us. The ultimate deceiver wants us to continue to live in the darkness of our past sins rather than step into the light of Jesus Christ's love. As long as we feel dirty and ashamed, we will want to hide ourselves from God, which will prevent us from living the life that God has fully intended for us. So let's break out of that darkness and give everything to the one who can handle it all. Let's remind Satan who is in charge of our lives.

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. Colossians 2:13-15 (NLT)

God has forgiven you. Whether you feel forgiven or not, does not matter. You have been set free from God's condemnation. Now you must set yourself free from your own. If you are struggling with forgiveness, talk to God about it. Pray and ask Him to help you release the hold of your past sins. Each morning when you wake up, be encouraged in the knowledge that you are loved and forgiven by the creator of the universe. How awesome is that?

Father, I pray that all will find the pure joy that is waiting for them in true forgiveness. Amen

Jeana Miller