Forgiving Myself
We want to punish those who have done wrong.
“Forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
Ps. 51:3-4 For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.
Romans 12:19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
We forgive because it’s not our job to judge and punish
Matt. 18:32-33 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?
We forgive others because we have been forgiven so much
1 John 1:9 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.
Do you forgive yourself?
If you can stay haunted by past you won’t look forward to your future
2 Cor. 7:10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.
God uses guilt to drive you to his grace
Luke 7:47 I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love.
Ps. 103:10-14 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.
Hebrews 8:12 And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.
How can pay for something that’s already been paid for?
Get back on the horse after you fell off
Phil. 3:13-14 I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Letting go, Stretching ahead
I can’t change my past, but God can use my future
Let God – Stretch Ahead
God give me your grace to let go of the past.
Give me your grace to stretch ahead to you would have me do.