In the past, I’ve talked about the importance of forgiving others. Learning to forgive those who have wronged you is a great sign of love and growth. It happens, however, that we tend to forgive ourselves for the things we have done. It is because of this unforgiveness that we tend to believe that we don’t deserve anything good in life. We go as far as to believe that all the bad things that happen to us are well deserved. Some may even believe that even if they were saved, they lost their salvation because of a sin they committed.

            Firstly, you are never too far gone. God is not surprised by anything you have done, are doing, or will do. He knows who you are and He loves you. Our sins are not permissible and there are consequences to them. However, when you sincerely repent and ask for forgiveness, there isn’t anything you’ve done that He won’t forgive you for.

“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.”- 1 John 1:8-9

Secondly, we need to learn to let go of the guilt we store inside us. By letting ourselves feel guilty for the things we have done, we miss the many blessings in our lives. I can’t help but think that that reason we do this to ourselves is that we tend to humanize God. Humans tend to love conditionally. “I love you because we are related”. “I love you until you hurt me”. Or maybe even, “I love you as long as you are kind to me”. However, God is not like us. His love is unconditional. He will always love you no matter how much you mess up.

“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.” – 1 John 4:17-19

Thirdly, if you mess up, God won’t take away your salvation. As a true follower of Christ, you are sealed as a child of God. God will not make you start from level 0 if you mess up. When you repent with a sincere heart and ask for forgiveness, it will be given to you. He is not a God of confusion. He is a loving and merciful God who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

“For all the purposes of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” – 2 Corinthians 1:20-22

            A great example of this is the apostle Paul. Before he became an apostle, he was known as Saul of Tarsus. Saul had many advantages growing up. He was a Jew with Roman citizenship. He was very well educated and held a high standing in society. He dedicated his life to finding those whom he believed were against the law and either persecuting them or sending them to jail. Many Christians were killed and imprisoned because of Saul.

            He did all of those things, and yet God still chose him, forgave him, and used him to further his kingdom. Paul became one of the most influential in the Bible after Jesus. You would think that God would want nothing to do with someone who took part in the persecution and imprisonment of His people. However, His love is greater than our sins. After accepting Christ as his Lord and Savior, Paul spent the rest of his days spreading the word of Jesus.

“He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” – Psalm 103: 10-12

            Stop blaming yourself for what happened in the past. Stop allowing your guilt to eat you up from the inside. Instead, take your guilt to Jesus and lay them at His feet. He came to die for you so that you may be saved. You are cleansed by His blood. All you need to do is ask for forgiveness with a sincere heart and He will forgive you and forget your past sins. You are not too far gone. You are not so broken that you cannot be fixed. God’s love is greater. He can make you new.

“I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me.” – Jeremiah 33:8