by Leon

Forgiving Ourselves

Forgiveness of others is often talked about, but how much do we discuss forgiveness of ourselves? Regret, pain, sorrow – these can all have a hold over us if we are not careful. Forgiveness of others is important, but we cannot forget how important it is to forgive ourselves for past shortcomings. Holding a grievance against ourselves can hinder spiritual growth. We often feel like we deserve punishment, and if it doesn’t come, we punish ourselves with guilt.

The Bible tells us if we confess our sins to God – He is faithful and just to cleanse us of all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9. There is no fine print in that verse, a truly repentant heart will reap complete forgiveness from God. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are enough to provide complete justification and forgiveness. The Bible tells us as far as the east is from the west, so our sins will be from God.

The difficult part is learning to forgive as much as God has. The first step to breaking any stronghold is through prayer. While in prayer, ask God to soften your heart and help you to forgive yourself. The second step is to meditate on the promises God made to us about forgiveness. Write down a few scriptures which remind you of how God forgives us and let that help you learn to forgive yourself. Finally, when grief or regret arises to tell you that you don’t deserve forgiveness, reply with the irrefutable word of  God.

Seeking forgiveness

Of course, it’s possible that you may not have asked forgiveness in the first place. If that’s true, my question would be why not? If you humble yourself before God and are sincere in repentance, He will forgive you. He has promised to do so, many times. Do not let something cut you off from connecting with God, especially when He has already provided the means in which we can find forgiveness.

Perhaps you hurt someone you know and want to seek their forgiveness. Unfortunately, you cannot force them to forgive you, but you can take steps to apologize and walk in the love of God. If they choose not to forgive you, do not let it bother you.  You did what you could but if they harden their heart, it’s not something you can change.

Forgiving Others

We often conceive forgiveness as a feeling. However, it’s a choice. You may still feel bitter or betrayed or untrusting of whoever hurt you. But you can still forgive that person. Forgiveness is choosing not to let what they did to you affect how you treat and love them. If you forgive someone you will not hold them accountable or seek justification. You will choose to forgive them and that will be reflected in your actions. I understand that forgiving can be difficult, a good way to help is reminding yourself how much God has forgiven you.

Want to take the first steps in finding forgiveness? Whatever type you are dealing with there is no better solution than seeking God out in prayer. His help is far greater than anything we can muster alone. Have a good, Wednesday.