Have you ever forgiven yourself?

Many of us who grew up in moralistic settings – you are accepted only if you are good – we have this underlying sense of guilt. We know we have been forgiven by God through the work of the Jesus on the cross on our behalf, but we still can’t shake the feeling that we are guilty. We are still somehow inadequate, and we must make ourselves worthy. Until then, God is not really pleased with us. God may have forgiven us, but we do not forgive ourselves. There are too many sins we are guilty of and we must work through each one of them and make it right if we are to be truly pleasing in God’s sight. So we think…

Jesus says in Mark 11:24-25, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

I believe this forgiving act involves forgiving ourselves. We must forgive ourselves of our past sins, our past outbursts, and our past ignorance. We must look to Jesus to forgive us rather than our recent track record.  

And believe that you have been forgiven. Believe that you have received full and irrevocable forgiveness from God, and it is yours. (v. 24)

PH