Forgiving Ourselves

In my last blog, I wrote about forgiveness.  Forgiveness from Jesus comes easy for us (He died on the cross so we could have this).  Forgiveness of ourselves isn't always as simple.  How do we get past our sinful life and move forward?  At church a couple of Sundays ago, the teacher gave an illustration of an individual moving forward in life and finishing their life honoring Christ - after making some pretty bad choices filled with sin.  Several years back, when I stopped and looked at my life and the choices I was making, I knew I was not who Christ wanted me to be.  It was at this time, I genuinely repented and Christ forgave me.  As the scriptures tell us He forgives us.  Psalm 103:12  "as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."  What a peace this scripture gives to me when I try to hold on to my sin and guilt from past mistakes! 

Let's look first at true repentance.  I was asked today how do some people get forgiven from sin and yet continue to sin.  I believe our forgiveness from Christ only comes with true repentance or as I like to describe it "a brokenness of the heart".  Saying I'm sorry is so easy in our world.  Christ is looking for a regret that goes much deeper.  He knows our hearts and He can tell if we are truly broken over our sin.  If not, I don't think you will be forgiven.  Ask God to break your heart over anything in your life that isn't honoring to Him.  He will speak to you in your spirit and convict you of any areas you need to change.  When you have identified your sin, you can then admit the sin, repent to God and the person you sinned against, and then begin to feel the freedom of God's peace.

 As I mentioned earlier, God's forgiveness comes immediately.  The difficult part can be how do we deal with the bad choices & sin we have had in our lives.  It is easy to get really down on who you are and some of the things you have done in years past.  God doesn't want you to stay there and feel bad for your choices.  He died so you could be completely forgiven, cleansed and free from your sin.  Don't let His death be in vain.  Embrace it!  Claiming forgiveness for yourself is some what like dieting.  You can't just decide to do a crash diet for a month, lose weight and then go back to your old eating habits.  If you do, the weight will gradually come back on.  It is the same way with moving forward in a life style striving to be free of your old guilt and sin.  You have to start from today, claim your precious forgiveness, seek Christ & strive to move from it.  After that it is a daily thing, holding on firmly to your relationship, time & commitment to Christ.  After several years you will look back and see how Christ has lifted you up to a better life.  We are all so undeserving of what Christ has done for us.  However, there He is always so faithful and loving.